Imagine not having a washing machine? Having to travel to the launderette to wash your clothes? Imagine having to do it with children? When they come home from school with dirty uniforms, and you can’t get out to the laundrette which might be a bus ride away, so it has to wait. Some children will even miss school days because they don’t have clean clothes.
“Now dozens of schools have installed launderettes to wash pupils’ clothes, and soon school launderettes could become as common as food banks.” – Gordon Brown, former PM
This is the reality for nearly half a million families in the UK who do not own a washing machine and have to find the time and money to visit a launderette. Over half of these live in social housing.
One mum told us:
“For 2 or 3kg of washing, you are looking at about £10 and anything more than to just wash it [dry it for example], you are looking at an extra £4 or £5.”
Even with the increase in energy costs, it is more expensive to do a load of washing in the laundrette – the poverty premium. Or families reduce the frequency of washing their clothes, bedding, and towels, leading to hygiene and social problems.
