Thousands of public toilet closures since 2010

Government cuts have heightened public hygiene problems with the closure of more than a fifth of public toilets in Britain during the past decade.

As people across the country are urged to wash hands more frequently to control the outbreak of coronavirus, UNISON says any efforts are being made more difficult because of the government’s recent council funding cuts, which have led to widespread closures of almost a thousand public toilets since the decade of austerity began in 2010.

New freedom of information figures gathered by the union highlight that there has been a 22 per cent drop in the number of public toilets maintained by councils since 2010, with the closure of 979. Almost 400 councils across England, Scotland and Wales were contacted, with data supplied by 87 per cent.

Jon Richards, UNISON’s head of local government, said: “Ministers can’t wash their hands of responsibility for the hygiene problems that could now haunt the country. The removal of hundreds of washrooms is one of the consequences of a decade of government cuts. For workers who travel as part of their job, or for anyone else who spends time out and about, this is a significant worry. The savage cuts forced on councils have also created wider problems. Reduced resources will have left many woefully unprepared to tackle a public health problem that’s worsening by the day.”