Can you donate it?

All charities

Cancer Research UK

~600 shops plus out-of-town superstores Website ↗ Their donation guidance ↗ verified

As of , Cancer Research UK publishes donation guidance covering 62 of the 110 items in this directory: 40 they can't accept, 17 they may accept in some cases and 5 they accept.

States it cannot accept items it can't sell and would have to pay to dispose of; suggests local selling groups, food banks, removal services and recycling centres as alternatives for rejected items.

Baby & children

7

Toys & games

2

Furniture

4
  • Can't accept
    Damaged, broken or incomplete furniture

    General rule: anything dirty, damaged, incomplete or with missing parts.

    Their wording
    “Furniture with missing parts”
  • Can't accept
    Post-1950 upholstered furniture without a fire label

    Also cushions/fillings without fire labels.

    Their wording
    “Upholstered furniture post 1950s without fire label”
  • Check first
    Corded blinds

    Refused without original packaging and safety instructions; new boxed blinds can be sold.

    Their wording
    “Blinds without original packaging and safety instructions”
  • Check first
    Mattresses source ↗

    only accepted new/unused, not used

    Their wording
    “Used pillows, duvets, mattresses (new items can be sold)”

Homeware & household

3

Electrical

11
  • Can't accept
    Broken electrical items

    New items can be sold once PAT tested. Also rejects items with a 2-pin plug or without a double-insulated logo on the plug.

    Their wording
    “Used mains operated electricals not PAT tested via current process”
  • Can't accept
    Electric blankets and heat pads
    Their wording
    “Electric blankets & showers”
  • Can't accept
    Gas appliances
    Their wording
    “Gas appliances, cylinders, oil-filled radiators”
  • Can't accept
    Hardwired storage heaters

    Also storage heaters, and oil and gas AGAs.

    Their wording
    “oil-filled radiators”
  • Can't accept
    Large appliances and white goods

    Also washing machines, tumble and washer dryers, and large garden appliances (e.g. lawnmowers).

    Their wording
    “Fridges and freezers”
  • Can't accept
    Microwave ovens
    Their wording
    “Microwaves”
  • Can't accept
    Oil, paraffin and petrol heaters

    Also storage heaters, and oil and gas AGAs.

    Their wording
    “oil-filled radiators”
  • Can't accept
    Sunbeds and UV lamps
    Their wording
    “Sunbeds & tanning equipment”
  • Check first
    Computers and data-storage devices source ↗

    only accepted new/unused, not used

    Their wording
    “Used Mobile phones, PCs, laptops or tablets (new items can be sold)”
  • Check first
    Mobile phones source ↗

    Only new phones and tablets are accepted; used ones are refused.

    Their wording
    “Used Mobile phones, PCs, laptops or tablets (new items can be sold)”
  • Check first
    Televisions and computer monitors

    Applies to CRT sets; flat-screen TVs are not addressed.

    Their wording
    “CRT TVs”

Safety equipment

3
  • Can't accept
    Used life jackets and buoyancy aids source ↗

    Used life jackets and buoyancy aids are refused. The charity says new ones may be sold only when sealed in the original box.

    Their wording
    “Used buoyancy aids, life jackets, inflatable dinghies & toys”
  • Check first
    Climbing ropes, harnesses and hardware source ↗

    climbing equipment only accepted new and sealed in original box

    Their wording
    “New items can only be sold if sealed in the original box”
  • Check first
    Helmets and safety headgear source ↗

    safety helmets/crash helmets only accepted new and sealed in original box

    Their wording
    “New items can only be sold if sealed in the original box”

Mobility & medical

2

Health & beauty

3

Sharps & weapons

3
  • Can't accept
    Ammunition, flares and fireworks

    Also fireworks & accessories.

    Their wording
    “Firearms including airguns and ammunition”
  • Can't accept
    Guns and other weapons, including replicas

    Also axes, crossbows, catapults, firearms (incl. airguns), and replicas unless obviously toys.

    Their wording
    “Swords, sword sticks Axes, crossbows, catapults Firearms including airguns and ammunition, accessories (incl. replicas, unless obviously a toy) Knives, daggers, stabbing or martial arts related weapons Martial arts-related weapons Hunting-related weapons”
  • Check first
    Knives and bladed items

    Cutlery is explicitly excluded from the refusal; sharp gardening tools and scissors are also refused.

    Their wording
    “Any kind of knife, e.g. Daggers (excl. cutlery)”

Hazardous materials

4

Food & drink

2
  • Can't accept
    Food
    Their wording
    “Perishable goods (incl. all food and drink)”
  • Can't accept
    Non-alcoholic drinks
    Their wording
    “Perishable goods (incl. all food and drink)”

Media & books

3

Restricted materials

6

Bedding & textiles

1
  • Check first
    Duvets and pillows source ↗

    only accepted new/unused, not used

    Their wording
    “Used pillows, duvets, mattresses (new items can be sold)”

Clothing & accessories

6

Sport & outdoor

2

Other things they mention

More rules from their donation guidance, in their own words — these don't have their own page on this site yet:

  • Can't accept Cooling towers or fans — “Cooling tower or fans”
  • Can't accept 2 pin plug adapters — “2 pin plug adapters”
  • Can't accept Prosthesis, dentures — “Prosthesis, dentures”
  • Can't accept Cigarette and drug-related items — “ashtrays, lighters, branded clothing/cards”
  • Can't accept Plant seeds — “Plant seeds”
  • Can't accept Manual shaving kits — “Manual shaving kits”
  • Can't accept Culturally insensitive items — “Culturally insensitive items (incl. ethnic caricature dolls, anything depicting swastikas or racial wording. Can also be depicted in older items such as children’s books, e.g. Rupert the Bear, Noddy, Enid Blyton, Dr Suess)”
  • Can't accept World War 2 gas masks — “World War 2 gas masks”
  • Can't accept Used medical devices (e.g. blood pressure monitors) — “Used medical devices (e.g. blood pressure monitors)”
  • Can't accept Used pierced jewellery (costume, branded or fine metal) — “Used Pierced costume, branded, fine metal jewellery”
  • Can't accept Small magnetic toys — “Small magnetic toys”
  • Can't accept Self-feeding pillows — “Self-feeding pillows”
  • Can't accept Used children's shoes — “Used children's shoes”