FOI reference: FOI-2025-2999
You asked
Please provide reports, statistical information, and research identifying the number of people in the UK living in 'underwear poverty' (i.e. unable to provide or afford sufficient underwear for themselves) between 1 January 2015 and 30 June 2025.
We said
Thank you for your request.
We routinely publish statistics that capture expenditure on under garments, which includes items other than underwear, at household-level. Table 3.E5 in Workbook 1 of our official accredited statistics on Family Spending covers average payments across the household income distribution up to financial year ending 2023. The average payment across all UK households being £182 annually for men's under garments, £52 annually for women's under garments and £15 annually for children's under garments.
Data for financial year ending 2024 are scheduled for release in late summer 2025. When interpreting these data, please note that estimates are averaged across all UK households and not only for those with under garments expenditure.
Unfortunately, we do not hold any data on the households' ability to purchase underwear specifically.