Following our conversation with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DDCMS), it was announced that the application deadline for the Tampon Tax Fund 2020-21 would be extended by a week to Sunday 7th June.

We have been working with the DDCMS and women’s sector charities to communicate the change in criteria for the Tampon Tax Fund 2020-21, which states that the DDCMS 'particularly, but not exclusively, welcome applications from women's specialist charities and organisations whose projects include making onward grants to women's specialist charities.'

We have been actively campaigning since March 2019 about the distribution of the Tampon Tax Fund, calling for specialist women's health and support charities to be the recipients of the funding, and whilst we do not deny the value of the work that larger organisations do, this fund had initially been promised to women's health and support charities, who are best placed to meet the needs of women and their children in local communities.

In previous years, the Tampon Tax, which has accumulated an estimated £700 million in VAT paid by women on period products, has been granted to larger, non-specialist organisations despite George Osborn’s promise that the fund was for women’s health and support charities.

WRC CEO, Vivienne Hayes MBE, said: 

“After some very productive and positive discussions between WRC and the DDCMS, we are delighted to see this extension granted. Our request for the extension is off the back of many women's organisations being unaware of the change in criteria. We look forward to a continued and prosperous relationship with the DDCMS, and are thankful to them for recognising the vital value that women's specialist charities provide, and the life-saving impact this specialism has.”

In light of this deadline extension, we urge the women’s sector to reconsider applying to the Tampon Tax Fund 2020-21. All information on the fund, its criteria, and how to apply can be found here.