Department for Education Period Products Scheme 2026

Descriptions

This is a notice seeking early engagement from interested parties in relation to the Department for Education Period Products Scheme. Please note that all references to procedure, value and term length are purely illustrative and subject to change. The Period Products Scheme ensures that period products are available and accessible, free of charge, to girls and women who need them in schools and colleges. The scheme aims to reduce periods as a barrier to education, promote dignity and equality in learning environments and tackle stigma associated with periods. The scheme was introduced after a 2018 Omnibus Survey suggested that 14% of female college students and 6% of female school pupils has been unable to access period products int he last 12 month due to affordability and 83% of secondary school leaders made free period products available in their school. Tackling this problem remains a key priority and is part of DfE’s strategy to support the Government’s mission to break down the barriers to opportunity; one of the six missions which form the centrepiece of our plan for change. This mission-led approach drives coordination between different programmes and workstreams by setting ambitious shared goals. The DfE is seeking to engage parties who are interested in exploring how they can help ensure no girl faces barriers to their education and activities due to the lack of period dignity across the UK and wishes to provide its resources to make a positive social impact that can be felt for generations to come. We are actively looking to explore a wide range of approaches to delivery and specifically welcome perspectives relating to sponsorship, partnerships and/or alternative commissioning models which could maximise the impact of the scheme and/or harness Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Please note that this notice is for early market engagement and exploratory purposes and is not a call for competition. The Department reserves the right not to enter any formal processes or agreements. Accordingly, the authority will not be liable for any bid cost, expenditure, work, or effort incurred by a provider in acting based on this notice.