All items · Homeware & household
Used, homemade or unlabelled candles
Also covers: candle, part-burned candle, unboxed candle, wax candle
Can you donate used, homemade or unlabelled candles to a UK charity shop? Usually not.
The short answer
Almost all say no
Of the 153 UK charities we track, 32 say no and 1 may accept in some cases.
Evidence last verified
Why shops may refuse it
Shops may be unable to assess candles that are partly used, homemade or missing their safety and burning instructions.
What to do instead
Local candle makers may reuse clean leftover wax; otherwise separate reusable containers and follow your council's waste guidance.
Charity by charity
33 mentions-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Candles without instructions”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Candles without instructions”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Unboxed, unsealed or partially burned candles — Unboxed/unsealed or partially burned candles”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Candles”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Candles without fire warning instructions”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Candles without warning labels”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Candles without warning labels”
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Can't accept
Only candles without packaging are named as refused; the page doesn't say whether packaged candles are accepted.
Their wording
“Candles WITHOUT Packaging”
-
Can't accept
Furniture collection page separately excludes 'Candles without instructions'.
Their wording
“Candles without safety labels”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Candles without instructions”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Candles which are not in original packaging and have been used. All candles must have the original fire safety instructions / label attached.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Unboxed or partially burned candles”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Candles without instructions”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Candles without instructions”
-
Can't accept
Used candles refused; new, sealed, originally-packaged candles accepted.
Their wording
“Used Candles (We can accept new if they remain sealed in their original packaging.)”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“candles without instructions”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Unbranded candles”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Fireworks, party poppers, used candles”
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Can't accept
New, labelled candles are accepted; from the 'Candles' entry.
Their wording
“Please do not donate candles that are: ❌ Used - already lit or shortened candles ❌ Home made without a fire safety label ❌ Damaged or broken”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Candles without instructions”
-
Can't accept
'Partially burned candles' not accepted.
Their wording
“Homeware and furniture: Without fire-retardant labelling, as well as certain items like cushions, partially burned candles, and gas appliances.”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Candles without instructions”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Candles without instructions”
-
Can't accept
Candles without instructions/labelling.
Their wording
“Petrol/diesel garden tools, candles without instructions”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Candles without instructions”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Homemade candles / candles without safety notice”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Candles without instructions, used candles”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Candles without instructions”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Candles without instructions”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Candles without instructions and safety notice”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Candles without safety labels or not in new condition.”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Used candles”
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Check first
Only accepted with instructions (not accepted without).
Their wording
“Candles without instructions”
Not mentioned in 120 charities' guidance
Absence from a charity's list doesn't mean they accept it — it just isn't singled out. Ask your local shop.
- Accord Hospice
- Acorns Children's Hospice
- Age UK
- Ardgowan Hospice
- Ashgate Hospicecare
- Ayrshire Hospice
- Barnardo's
- Barnsley Hospice
- Blythe House Hospice
- Bolton Hospice
- British Red Cross
- Butterwick Hospice
- Children's Hospice South West
- Children's Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS)
- Cransley Hospice Trust
- Crisis
- Demelza Hospice Care for Children
- Derian House Children's Hospice
- Dogs Trust
- Douglas Macmillan Hospice
- Dr Kershaw's Hospice
- East Lancashire Hospice
- Emmaus
- FARA Charity Shops
- Farleigh Hospice
- Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity
- Forget Me Not Children's Hospice
- Garden House Hospice Care
- Great Oaks Hospice
- Great Western Air Ambulance Charity
- Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice
- Heart of Kent Hospice
- Helen & Douglas House
- Highland Hospice
- Hope House & Ty Gobaith Children's Hospices
- Hospice at Home Carlisle and North Lakeland
- Hospice in the Weald
- Hospice Isle of Man
- Hospice of the Valleys
- Jersey Hospice Care
- Julia's House
- Katharine House Hospice (Stafford)
- Katharine House Hospice, Banbury
- Keech Hospice Care
- LOROS Hospice
- Marie Curie
- Martin House Children's Hospice
- Mountbatten Isle of Wight
- Moya Cole Hospice
- Naomi House & Jack's Place
- Nightingale House Hospice
- North Devon Hospice
- North London Hospice
- Nottinghamshire Hospice
- Octavia Foundation
- Overgate Hospice
- Oxfam
- PDSA
- Pendleside Hospice
- Phyllis Tuckwell
- Pilgrims Hospices
- Primrose Hospice
- Princess Alice Hospice
- Prospect Hospice
- Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People
- Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care
- Rotherham Hospice
- Royal Trinity Hospice (London)
- Saint Francis Hospice
- Salvation Army (SATCoL)
- Samaritans
- Save the Children
- Scope
- Sense Scotland
- Severn Hospice
- Shelter
- St Andrew's Hospice (Lanarkshire)
- St Catherine's Hospice (Crawley)
- St Catherine's Hospice (Lancashire)
- St Christopher's Hospice
- St Clare Hospice
- St Columba's Hospice
- St Cuthbert's Hospice
- St David's Hospice Care
- St Helena Hospice
- St John's Hospice (Lancaster, Morecambe, Kendal & Garstang)
- St John's Hospice (London)
- St Luke's Cheshire Hospice
- St Luke's Hospice (Harrow & Brent)
- St Luke's Hospice Basildon & Thurrock
- St Luke's Hospice Plymouth
- St Luke's Hospice, Sheffield
- St Margaret's Hospice Care (Somerset)
- St Michael's Hospice (North Hampshire)
- St Nicholas Hospice Care
- St Peter & St James Hospice
- St Raphael's Hospice
- St Richard's Hospice
- St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP)
- St Vincent's Hospice
- St Wilfrid's Hospice
- Strathcarron Hospice
- The Kirkwood
- The Myton Hospices
- The Prince of Wales Hospice
- The Shakespeare Hospice
- Traid
- Treetops Hospice Trust
- Trinity Hospice (Blackpool)
- Tynedale Hospice at Home
- Wakefield Hospice
- Weldmar Hospicecare
- Willen Hospice
- Willow Burn Hospice
- Willow Wood Hospice
- Wirral Hospice St John's
- Wisdom Hospice
- Woking & Sam Beare Hospices
- Woodgreen Pets Charity
- YMCA (England & Wales)