Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021: guidance – September 2021

Introduction

This Guidance is published under section 5 of the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 ("the Act") and provides guidance to responsible bodies^[1] about the exercise of the functions conferred on them by the Act.

Building on the existing voluntary provision in education and community settings funded by the Scottish Government since 2018/19, the Act will ensure that everyone in Scotland who menstruates can have reasonably convenient access to period products, free of charge, as and when they are required. This includes visitors to Scotland for the duration of their stay.

While responsible bodies are not compelled to follow the Guidance, they must have regard to it when putting in place arrangements to exercise their functions. This Guidance will ensure that a high standard level of service delivery is in place across Scotland in accordance with the Act. Responsible bodies are encouraged to seek to learn from good practice to enhance and/or refine delivery.

Section 1 of the Act places a duty on Local Authorities to make period products obtainable free of charge for anyone who needs to use them. Section 2 of the Act places a duty on education providers to make period products obtainable free of charge on their premises for pupils and students during term time. Section 3 of the Act allows Scottish Ministers to specify public service bodies who have to make period products obtainable free of charge to people on their premises. No bodies have been so specified at the point of the initial publication of this Guidance.