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By Andy Rudd & Esti Pujana A mum-of-two has spoken of the “dark times” she faced after falling into hygiene poverty, which left her feeling ashamed and embarrassed. Caroline Gandy-Brown, 54, spiralled into debt after a divorce and found herself having to sacrifice her own hygiene for the sake of the children. She laid bare the reality of hygiene poverty as new figures show single adults need an annual income of £31,536 to afford essentials – almost £2,000 more than the average £29,669 salary. Caroline would clean her teeth with the same old toothbrush for a year, sometimes with just water, so …

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