More than three million people in Britain cannot afford essentials such as toothpaste and menstrual products, writes the Independent.

Shampoo and laundry detergent are also among the items unaffordable for Britons struggling with high energy bills and rising food prices, a study by the charity The Hygiene Bank found.

Last month, the government tried to help soften the blow of higher gas and electricity bills by freezing prices for two years.

But many families continue to struggle as wages fail to keep pace with skyrocketing inflation and mortgages become more expensive as interest rates rise.

The cost-of-living crisis has hit the poor hardest because they spend a larger share of their income on energy and necessities compared to wealthier households.

In its report, The Hygiene Bank reported that 3,150,000 adults (or 6 percent of the population) in Britain are in need. People with disabilities are disproportionately affected, with 21 percent saying they are unable to cover the cost of basic necessities.

About 13 percent of those affected come from low-income families. Eleven percent are between the ages of 18 and 34, another 11 percent are from ethnic minorities, and five percent of the adults who said they lack hygiene supplies are working.

Three in five (61 percent) of those experiencing a lack of hygiene products said it negatively affects their mental health. It also affects families, with two out of five parents saying it affects self-confidence.