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Dubbed the 'tampon tax', the Government receives millions in revenue each year from a 20% VAT on the cost of tampons and sanitary pads.

Efforts to scrap the controversial tax in Parliament were denied, however the Government later announced that the revenue would be used for projects benefiting women and girls across the country.

Now Leeds-based homelessness charity Simon on the Streets has received a £30,000 cash injection from the fund, through a programme called Homeless Link, to help vulnerable women in the city.

Money raised from the controversial 'tampon tax' has been used to fund services for homeless women in Leeds, it has been announced

An undisclosed amount was also donated to Basis Yorkshire, a charity supporting sex workers in Leeds.

Simon on the Streets is planning on using the £29,358 to recruit two new women's outreach workers who will help to reduce the number of women living on the streets and in temporary accommodation in Leeds.

The workers will also support and engage with Leeds' 'hidden homeless' women - those who are living in unsuitable conditions in social housing but who have no means of escaping.

Partnering with St Anne's community centre, Simon on the Streets will also be able to help women access new Safe Space emergency accommodation.

Simon on the Streets works with many women in Leeds who are sleeping rough, living in sheltered accommodation or in dangerous conditions from which they cannot escape

The charity's CEO Eric Richardson said: "We have delivered outreach in the city for over 20 years and have seen an increase in the number of women who struggle to find gender-specific support while living on the streets of those 'hidden homeless' women living in dangerous and exploitative situations just to keep a roof over their head.

"This funding is fantastic news as it will ensure that we have gender specific workers, using a trauma-informed approach to engage and support the women both emotionally and practically."

Homeless Link's Assistant Director of Practice and Partnerships Tasmin Maitland added: “Women’s homelessness is a growing crisis. Despite this, women who are homeless or at risk of homelessness are one of the most marginalised groups in our society and the specialist support that they need is often lacking or non-existent.

“We are delighted to be able to award Simon on the Streets a grant that will have a real impact on the support that women experiencing homelessness in Leeds receive, and ultimately contribute to ending women’s homelessness for good.”

Tampon tax used to donate £30k cash to help homeless women in Leeds