Money was such a struggle for Kerry Warwick that she faced the harsh choice between buying washing powder to wash her family’s clothes or buying food.
The mum-of-four told The i Paper: “When you get to the point where you only have £20 left, what do you do?
“Feeding my children and keeping life normal was my priority and I didn’t let the children see that we were struggling.
“I couldn’t afford to go and buy a box of washing powder, so I used the own brand washing up liquid I already had at home to wash their clothes instead.
“I had to cut corners as I had no choice. Their clothes were still clean, but they had not been washed the conventional way. Hot water and washing up liquid still cleans them. Sometimes, I would use a bar of soap or even lemons, as they take stains out and clean clothes. I had to be inventive and resourceful to save money.
“However, I felt so much shame and embarrassment and it knocks your dignity. Every parent wants to do the best for their children and if you can’t provide essentials like washing powder, it makes you feel terrible.”
Kerry is sharing her story as new research from charity In Kind Direct, reveals almost three in 10 people admit to sacrificing personal hygiene to save money, with a further 11 per cent considering doing so.
A study of 2,000 UK adults by the product giving charity found that around 14 per cent said hygiene products were the first things they would cut back on when short of cash to afford bills such as rent, the mortgage and food.
With limited resources, many of those who have struggled financially have changed their hygiene habits, including replacing items such as toothbrushes less often or substituting items for multiple uses across the home, such as using washing up liquid as handwash, shampoo or surface cleaner – or as in Kerry’s case, to wash clothes.
Kerry, 42, who lives in Nottingham and is married with two sons aged 23 and 14 and two daughters aged 21 and 17, explained that her family suddenly went from being a working to a non-working household and began struggling financially.
“My partner is disabled and I am his carer, as well as a carer for my 17-year-old daughter, who is severely autistic and has got developmental delay,” she said. “I am also a carer for my mum as she is 69 and had a severe stroke three years ago and is now completely bed-bound. My dad is her full-time carer, but I am her backup support so he can have respite.”
Alongside her caring duties, Kerry worked in pubs and her partner was a full-time joiner. However, a few years ago, he suddenly became ill and had to close down his business. Kerry then had to stop working and become a full-time carer.
“My partner suffers from multiple ailments including fibromyalgia, arthritis and a skeletal condition and he could no longer work,” she said.
“It was very difficult to go from being a working family to a family on benefits and not knowing how we were going to pay the bills or what we were going to have to cut back on each month to survive.
“There were many times when I cried at night not knowing what I was going to do the following day. But it makes you stronger and it makes you more resourceful.
“I have learnt how to make things last and have used the tips my grandmother used to tell me about and am using advice from the older generation from the good old war days.”
Kerry says she used the ‘war time tips’ from her grandmother to budget and save moneyDuring the time of extreme financial hardship, Kerry found a local charity in her area called the Renewal Trust, which is supported by In Kind Direct. They helped her family when they needed extra support by providing what they had been forced to cut back on so they could afford their immediate costs like bills and food.
“Without the Renewal Trust being able to supply those things for us, I don’t know how we would have got through it,” said Kerry.
While Kerry no longer has to use the charity’s services on a regular basis, whenever she and her family hit a rough patch, she knows they will be there for her. Today, Kerry helps other families seeking support and directs them to the Renewal Trust and gives back to the community whenever she can.
“Everyone is struggling at the moment, even people who are working,” she said. “Having been through the reality, I know how awful it is to be in the position where you have to sacrifice things like washing powder and detergent because it is too expensive.
“Life shouldn’t be like this and families should not have to rely on help to survive as we are not a third world country.”
The In Kind Direct research showed that 36 per cent of adults felt cutting back on personal hygiene routines is a necessary short-term way of coping when experiencing financial hardship, with 29 per cent saying it could be required as a long-term measure.
Michael Gidney, chief executive at In Kind Direct, said: “Long before people miss meals or fall behind on rent, they are quietly making compromises to stay clean. Right now, millions of people are making these quiet compromises every day, and the consequences for their health, confidence and dignity are severe.
“Hygiene poverty is a crisis hiding in plain sight. Recognising it as an early sign is crucial if we are to support people sooner. That is why initiatives like this are urgent. Every product that reaches someone in need is a lifeline and we cannot afford to wait.”
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