A unit for feeding lateral flaps of a hygiene absorbent article; the feeding unit comprises: an input conveyor to convey a first continuous strip from which the lateral flaps are separated; a cutting assembly arranged downstream of the input conveyor and comprising: a receiving drum, which is mounted so as to rotate around a first rotation axis, receives the first continuous strip in an input station, and is provided with first suction-pick up heads, which are designed to hold the lateral flaps; and at least one blade, which cooperates with the receiving drum, to cyclically cut the first continuous strip crosswise, so as to separate the lateral flaps from the first continuous strip itself; and a spacer assembly, which is arranged downstream of the cutting assembly and comprises a pair of spacer drums, each of which is mounted so as to rotate around a second rotation axis, is provided with second suction-pick up heads designed to hold the lateral flaps, and is arranged close to the receiving drum, to receive the lateral flaps from the receiving drum itself in an output station thereof, which is different from the output station of the other spacer drum; wherein the receiving drum alternatively feeds a lateral flap to a spacer drum and the following lateral flap to the other spacer drum, so as to divide the lateral flaps cut from the first continuous strip between the two spacer drums; the feeding unit is characterized in that: the first suction-pick up heads are mounted to as to be radially movable on the receiving drum; and an actuator system, which radially and cyclically moves each first suction-pick up head between a radial pick-up position in the area of the input station and a radial release position is provided, which is different from the radial pick-up position, in the area of the output station. an input conveyor to convey a first continuous strip from which the lateral flaps are separated; a cutting assembly arranged downstream of the input conveyor and comprising: a receiving drum, which is mounted so as to rotate around a first rotation axis, receives the first continuous strip in an input station, and is provided with first suction-pick up heads, which are designed to hold the lateral flaps; and at least one blade, which cooperates with the receiving drum, to cyclically cut the first continuous strip crosswise, so as to separate the lateral flaps from the first continuous strip itself; and a spacer assembly, which is arranged downstream of the cutting assembly and comprises a pair of spacer drums, each of which is mounted so as to rotate around a second rotation axis, is provided with second suction-pick up heads designed to hold the lateral flaps, and is arranged close to the receiving drum, to receive the lateral flaps from the receiving drum itself in an output station thereof, which is different from the output station of the other spacer drum; wherein the receiving drum alternatively feeds a lateral flap to a spacer drum and the following lateral flap to the other spacer drum, so as to divide the lateral flaps cut from the first continuous strip between the two spacer drums; the feeding unit is characterized in that: the first suction-pick up heads are mounted to as to be radially movable on the receiving drum; and an actuator system, which radially and cyclically moves each first suction-pick up head between a radial pick-up position in the area of the input station and a radial release position is provided, which is different from the radial pick-up position, in the area of the output station. the first suction-pick up heads are mounted to as to be radially movable on the receiving drum; and an actuator system, which radially and cyclically moves each first suction-pick up head between a radial pick-up position in the area of the input station and a radial release position is provided, which is different from the radial pick-up position, in the area of the output station.