About this website

Charity shops turn donated goods into funding for good causes, but a surprising amount of what arrives on their doorstep can't be legally or safely sold. Disposing of these items often costs charities money that should have been spent on their work instead. Some charities report spending tens of thousands of pounds a year getting rid of unsaleable donated items.

This site exists so you can check if a charity doesn't accept an item before you bag it up. It records items that are explicitly accepted as well as refused.

Who runs this?

This directory is researched and maintained by FOIMonkey. It is self-funded, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any charity. Every fact on the site comes from the charities' own published guidance at the time of checking.

Where the information comes from

Every entry is taken from each charity's published donation guidance. Every item page links to its source, quotes the charity's own wording where useful, and shows the date that it was last checked. A monthly automated re-validates every source and flags any changes for review. A "verified" date tells you when a human last confirmed the entry was correct. In the event that the information here and the source don't match, take the charity's guidance as being correct.

What the statuses mean

• ✕ Can't accept — the charity's guidance says they don't take the item.
• ! Check first — they might take the item, but with conditions (needs a fire label, only at selected shops etc).
• ✓ Accepted — their guidance says yes.
• – Not mentioned — their guidance doesn't say they can't take it. That is not a yes, so ask your local shop if you are unsure.

An important caveat

Policies vary from shop to shop, even when run by the same charity. A regular shop might not be able to take a sofa that the same charity's furniture store would love, and the acceptance of electrical goods often depends on whether a shop can safety-test it. Treat this directory as being guidance rather than a firm guarantee.

This site provides general information, and does not give legal or safety advice. If you are unsure, please check the current law, product guidance, local recycling rules and the intended shop's own policy. Ultimately, you are responsible for deciding whether an item is suitable to offer, and the charity has the final say on whether to accept it.

Donate responsibly

Do not donate anything you do not own. That includes stolen goods, library books, items a friend asked you to look after, and wheelchairs or mobility aids owned by the NHS.

If the staff or volunteers refuse to take something, accept their decision. Do not argue, and do not leave it outside the shop. Dumped donations can create hazards and disposal costs as they will usually be unsaleable.

If something looks wrong

Charity policies change. Every entry here links to the charity's own guidance and that page is always the authority. When in doubt, trust the charity's own guidance over us. A monthly check compares every source page against the version last verified, and any change is reviewed by a person before an entry is updated. Genuine errors or ommissions will normally corrected within a month.