All items · Mobility & medical
Medicines and medicinal products
Also covers: tablets, prescription, medication, inhaler, vitamins
Can you donate medicines and medicinal products to a UK charity shop? Usually not.
The short answer
Almost all say no
Of the 153 UK charities we track, 50 say no and 1 may accept in some cases. 5 of those are category-wide rules rather than a direct mention.
Evidence last verified
Why shops may refuse it
Charity shops cannot verify, store and resupply medicines through the regulated route used by pharmacies, even when a pack appears unopened.
What to do instead
Any pharmacy will take unwanted medicines for safe disposal — never bin or flush them.
Charity by charity
51 mentions-
Can't accept
Ashgate Hospicecare category-wide rule
Applies to all mobility & medical items
Their wording
“Medical equipment”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication including vitamins”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication of any kind”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication including vitamins”
-
Can't accept
Includes vitamins, drugs, poisons and supplements.
Their wording
“Prescription or general medications”
-
Can't accept
Includes vitamins
Their wording
“Medical equipment and medication including vitamins”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Drugs and poisons”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication, including vitamins or medical equipment”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication including vitamins”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Any medical prescriptions”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication including vitamins”
-
Can't accept
Includes medical equipment generally.
Their wording
“Medication or medical equipment (including prescription glasses)”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medical equipment, mobility aids and medicines (such as walkers, wheelchairs, commodes, walking sticks, zimmer frames)”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication”
-
Can't accept
Hospice at Home Carlisle and North Lakeland category-wide rule
Applies to all mobility & medical items
Their wording
“Electrical and medical items”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medical equipment & medicines”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Any medication”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Prescription or general medication including vitamins”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication including vitamins”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medications including vitamins”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication including vitamins”
-
Can't accept
Oxfam category-wide rule
Generic term used, not further specified by item.
Their wording
“Medical equipment”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication including vitamins”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication of any kind (safety and legal reasons).”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“medicine and medical equipment”
-
Can't accept
Royal Trinity Hospice (London) category-wide rule
Applies to all mobility & medical items
Their wording
“Please note, we can't accept donations of therapeutic or medical equipment or supplies either at the hospice or in our shops. This includes items such as wheelchairs, frames and pads.”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“medication”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“medicines”
-
Can't accept
Shown when searching 'Medicine'.
Their wording
“Thank you for thinking of us. Unfortunately, we’re unable to accept this item because of legal restrictions. Some things need special licences or checks that we’re not able to have in place.”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication including vitamins”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication including vitamins”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Alcohol, tobacco and medicines”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medical equipment, mobility aids and medicines (such as walkers, wheelchairs, commodes, walking sticks, Zimmer frames)”
-
Can't accept
St Cuthbert's Hospice category-wide rule
Listed as a whole category refusal on the main donation guidance page.
Their wording
“Medical equipment”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Prescription medication”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication of any kind (including vitamins)”
- Can't accept
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication including vitamins”
- Can't accept
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“medicines or medications”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication, including vitamins”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication including vitamins.”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication including vitamins”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication / medical supplies”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medicines or medical equipment”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Any medications”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medication.”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Medicines”
-
Can't accept
Listed under 'Medication & Hygiene Products'.
Their wording
“Any leftover medications or hygiene products. Even if unopened or unused. You can donate them to the Hygiene Bank instead.”
- Check first
Not mentioned in 102 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
- Ayrshire Hospice
- Barnardo's
- Barnsley Hospice
- Blythe House Hospice
- Bolton Hospice
- Butterwick Hospice
- Children's Hospice South West
- Children's Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS)
- Claire House Children's Hospice
- Cransley Hospice Trust
- Crisis
- Derian House Children's Hospice
- Dogs Trust
- Douglas Macmillan Hospice
- Dr Kershaw's Hospice
- East Lancashire Hospice
- Ellenor
- Emmaus
- FARA Charity Shops
- Farleigh Hospice
- Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity
- Garden House Hospice Care
- Great Oaks Hospice
- Helen & Douglas House
- Highland Hospice
- Hope House & Ty Gobaith Children's Hospices
- Hospice in the Weald
- Hospice Isle of Man
- Hospice of the Good Shepherd
- Hospice of the Valleys
- 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
- PDSA
- Pendleside Hospice
- Phyllis Tuckwell
- Pilgrims Hospices
- Primrose Hospice
- Prospect Hospice
- Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People
- Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care
- Rotherham Hospice
- Saint Francis Hospice
- Save the Children
- Scope
- Sense Scotland
- Severn Hospice
- Shelter
- Shooting Star Children's Hospices
- Springhill Hospice
- St Catherine's Hospice (Lancashire)
- St Clare Hospice
- St Columba's Hospice
- St David's Hospice Care
- St Giles Hospice
- 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 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
- Wakefield Hospice
- Weldmar Hospicecare
- Willow Burn Hospice
- Willow Wood Hospice
- Willowbrook Hospice
- Wirral Hospice St John's
- Woking & Sam Beare Hospices
- Woodgreen Pets Charity
- YMCA (England & Wales)