All items · Furniture
Post-1950 upholstered furniture without a fire label
Also covers: sofa, armchair, settee, footstool, padded headboard, cushioned chair
Can you donate post-1950 upholstered furniture without a fire label to a UK charity shop? No.
Why shops may refuse it
Furniture fire-safety law makes it illegal to sell upholstered items without the permanent fire-resistance label (pre-1950 pieces are exempt).
What to do instead
Check under the cushions and on the underside for the label before you give up — if it's genuinely gone, book a council bulky-waste collection.
Charity by charity
122 mentions-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Furniture without fire safety labels”
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Can't accept
Pre-1950s upholstered furniture is exempt; items with rips/tears exposing inner fabric also excluded.
Their wording
“Upholstered items without a fire safety label attached”
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Can't accept
Listed under furniture they are unable to collect; the accepted list separately says sofas/chairs/corner suites are collected 'with their fire safety labels attached'.
Their wording
“Soft furnishings without fire safety labels attached”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Furniture items with soft furnishing elements like beds and sofas without a fire-retardant label;”
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Can't accept
Listed as 'soft furnishings'.
Their wording
“Soft furnishings without fire safety labels”
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Can't accept
Soft furnishings without the fire retardant label are not accepted.
Their wording
“Please note, all soft furnishings must come with the fire retardant label intact.”
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Can't accept
Soft furnishings (sofas, armchairs etc.) without the original Fire Safety label are refused as they cannot be resold.
Their wording
“We are also unable to accept any soft-furnishing donations which do not have the original Fire Safety label attached (see below) such as sofas, armchairs, mattresses etc. as we are unable to re-sell these items.”
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Can't accept
Cushions, cushion covers and tailored upholstery covers are also rejected unless they have fire safety labels.
Their wording
“Upholstered items without fire safety labels”
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Can't accept
Applies to nursery furniture and all upholstered/foam-filled furniture; pre-1950 items exempt.
Their wording
“complies with The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 and has the relevant label attached, or predates 1950”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Upholstered items without fire labels, e.g beds/mattresses, padded headboards, upholstered dining chairs and footstools etc”
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Can't accept
Listed among items the charity cannot accept.
Their wording
“Sofas and upholstered armchairs without fire labels”
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Can't accept
Also cushions/fillings without fire labels.
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture post 1950s without fire label”
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Can't accept
Children's Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) category-wide rule
Furniture (the whole category) not accepted due to limited selling and storage space.
Their wording
“Furniture, large pictures and mirrors”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture without a fire label”
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Can't accept
Furniture made before 1950 is accepted even without a fire label.
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture without fire labels attached (unless made before 1950)”
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Can't accept
Furniture Services page confirms: 'We can only accept upholstered furniture if the fire safety label is still attached.'
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture without a fire label including items without a label that are part of a set”
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Can't accept
From the free collection service page: furniture must be in saleable condition and, where applicable, carry fire safety labels; items without a required label are not taken.
Their wording
“Items need to be in good saleable condition and where appropriate will need to have the fire safety labels attached.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“upholstered furniture without fire labels”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture that has no fire label”
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Can't accept
Listed as a pre-collection requirement for furniture donations; upholstered pieces without their own fire label will not be collected.
Their wording
“All upholstered furniture, including each item within a set, has its own fire label attached”
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Can't accept
Listed as a reason donated furniture is refused; by law upholstered furniture must carry the original fire safety label, found under sofas/chairs, inside cushion covers or on mattresses/bed bases.
Their wording
“Missing fire labels”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Items WITHOUT Fire Labels”
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Can't accept
Furniture collection service also declines these items, 'including all items donated as sets'.
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture without a fire label (must comply with the furniture and furnishings regulations 1998 and must have the relevant label attached or predate 1950)”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Furniture without fire labels”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Upholstered items without fire safety labels”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“We can only accept donations of sofas and upholstered armchairs if they have their fire labels attached and are fit for reuse (e.g. clean and not requiring repair or reupholstery).”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture, without a fire label and all items donated as sets, blankets, pillows and duvets unless brand new and still in its original packaging”
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Can't accept
Exception stated for antique or horse-hair filled pieces.
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture without a fire label (unless antique or horse-hair filled)”
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Can't accept
Great Western Air Ambulance Charity category-wide rule
General furniture is not accepted; used duvets and mattresses are separately refused.
Their wording
“Furniture”
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Can't accept
Stated for the free furniture collection service.
Their wording
“Please note that items that are incomplete, damaged or upholstered items without a fire label, will not be accepted.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“upholstered furniture made after 1950 that does not have the appropriate fire safety labels”
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Can't accept
Upholstered items are only accepted if they carry a label confirming UK safety standards; unlabelled items are implicitly refused.
Their wording
“If you're donating an upholstered item to us, please check that it has a label saying it meets UK safety standards.”
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Can't accept
Conditional acceptance rule encoded as refusal of unlabelled items: upholstered/fabric furniture must have fire label attached.
Their wording
“Sofas, armchairs and all furniture that has fabric, must have their fire labels attached”
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Can't accept
Hospice at Home Carlisle and North Lakeland category-wide rule
Also stated on the shops page: 'Unfortunately, we are unable to accept furniture donations.'
Their wording
“Furniture”
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Can't accept
Soft furnishings/upholstered items must carry a fire safety label to be sold; corroborated by 'Upholstered furniture with fire labels attached...' on the donation guide page and 'furniture with the correct fire safety labels' on the tips page.
Their wording
“When it comes to soft furnishings we require Fire Safety Labels to be able to sell these to customers.”
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Can't accept
Items without a fire label attached are refused.
Their wording
“Legal Restrictions: Weapons, sharp knives, or items without fire labels attached.”
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Can't accept
The furniture collection page states similarly: 'Fabric and upholstered items must have a relevant fire label.'
Their wording
“Upholstered donations must have fire safety labels attached, as per the examples below:”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Upholstered items that do not have the relevant fire labels”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture without the correct fire safety labels”
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Can't accept
Katharine House Hospice, Banbury category-wide rule
Also stated as 'Electrical items or any furniture' on the donations page.
Their wording
“We’re no longer in a position to collect or accept any furniture donations.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Furniture with textile sections (such as sofas, armchairs, and dining chairs with soft padded seats) must have the original Fire Safety label attached.”
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Can't accept
Donation guide page similarly states 'Upholstered foam filled furniture items are accepted only if they have a manufacturer's fire safety label' and 'Re-Upholstered Furniture items are accepted only if they have a manufacturer's fire safety label'; furniture page separately lists 'Re-upholstered furniture' among items it cannot accept.
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture without a a manufacturers fire safety label”
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Can't accept
Pre-1950s furniture is exempt from the fire-label requirement.
Their wording
“Furniture that does not comply with fire retardant standards or without relevant fire safety labelling (unless pre-1950s)”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Upholstered items without fire labels, e.g beds/mattresses, padded headboards, upholstered dining chairs and footstools, etc”
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Can't accept
Also stated on the furniture collection page: "By law, all upholstered furniture (like sofas, armchairs, or padded chairs) must have a valid fire safety label attached"; a vintage-item exception may apply on request.
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture without fire label”
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Can't accept
Furnishings must comply with 1988 fire regulations and have fire labels attached
Their wording
“Furnishings need to comply with the 1988 fire regulations and items must have fire labels attached.”
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Can't accept
Marie Curie category-wide rule
No specific furniture items singled out; the page lists furniture as currently unaccepted.
Their wording
“Furniture.”
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Can't accept
Fabric/upholstered furniture must have a fire safety label to be accepted.
Their wording
“Furniture (please note that fabric furniture must include a fire safety label)”
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Can't accept
Requirement for the free furniture collection service; the general accepted-donations list also notes 'Furniture (all soft furnishings must have a fire label)'. Condition: upholstered furniture without a fire label is not accepted.
Their wording
“All upholstered furniture has a fire label attached. For sets, i.e. a three piece suite, dining chairs etc., each individual item must have its own fire label.”
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Can't accept
Naomi House & Jack's Place category-wide rule
Stated on the main donate-goods page under 'Furniture'. Note the CRA listing shows dedicated 'Furniture & Electrical' stores (Portsmouth, Basingstoke), but the guidance page does not describe an alternative donation route for furniture.
Their wording
“We aren't able to accept furniture in our charity shops.”
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Can't accept
Must have a fire label.
Their wording
“Anything without CE or fire labels”
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Can't accept
Also stated on the 'What to donate' page: 'we can only accept soft furnishings that carry a fire retardant label'.
Their wording
“Soft furnishings without a fire retardant label”
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Can't accept
Fire label required on each item of a set unless pre-1950s.
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture without a fire label including all items donated as sets”
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Can't accept
PDSA category-wide rule
Temporary suspension of furniture donations (framed as current, not permanent)
Their wording
“For the time being, we won't be able to accept furniture and have no collections available.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“We cannot pick up upholstered furniture made after 1950 that does not have the appropriate fire safety labels attached, as we are not allowed by law to sell these items.”
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Can't accept
Applies to furniture with cloth seats donated for collection (sofas, single chairs, recliner chairs, dining chairs etc.).
Their wording
“All items with cloth seats e.g. sofas, single chairs, recliner chairs, dining chairs etc must have fire labels attached. Unfortunately if these items don't have a fire label we aren't able to accept them.”
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Can't accept
Horsehair upholstery is exempt.
Their wording
“Must have a Fire Label attached to each item (unless an upholstered item is horsehair)”
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Can't accept
Listed under items the free furniture collection service is unable to collect.
Their wording
“Missing fire safety labels (for upholstered items)”
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Can't accept
Also stated specifically for nursery furniture: "Nursery furniture that contains upholstery (legal reasons). We can accept these if the item complies with The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 and has the relevant label attached, or predates 1950."
Their wording
“Upholstered foam-filled furniture (legal reasons). We can accept these if the article predates 1950 or complies with The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 and has the relevant label attached.”
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Can't accept
From the furniture collection booking page's requirements; the same page's consent checkbox separately restates 'I confirm all upholstered items have fire safety labels and are in good condition.'
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture items must comply with The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, unless made before 1950.”
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Can't accept
Fire safety label must be firmly attached or sewn into each upholstered item; without one, drivers reject it at collection.
Their wording
“By law, we cannot sell upholstered furniture in our stores without a fire label, and our van drivers will reject items without them.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“upholstered furniture without a fire label”
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Can't accept
Royal Trinity Hospice (London) category-wide rule
Independently confirmed on the collections page (https://www.royaltrinityhospice.london/collections): "We are unfortunately unable to accept: furniture". No dedicated furniture-specific guidance page exists (checked /furniture and /large-items, both 404).
Their wording
“Unfortunately, in most of our shops, we are unable to accept the following donated items, either for health and safety reasons or because we no longer sell them. ... furniture”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Any upholstered furniture must have a fire label for us to accept.”
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Can't accept
Furniture is only taken at the Wakefield and Grimsby shops at all; even there, upholstered items must have a fire label.
Their wording
“Upholstered items will need fire labels attached.”
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Can't accept
All soft furnishings and foam-filled furniture must carry a fire safety label; older foam-filled furniture may also be refused due to safe disposal costs.
Their wording
“all soft furnishings MUST have fire-retardant labels”
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Can't accept
Severn Hospice category-wide rule
Their dedicated Furniture Store closed for the final time on 15 April 2026; no shop accepts furniture donations now.
Their wording
“Please note we’re no longer able to accept furniture donations – but our other 31 shops are more than happy to accept quality clothes and accessories, books, collectables, bric-a-brac, toys and smaller electrical items.”
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Can't accept
Also covers cushions and covers lacking fire safety labels.
Their wording
“upholstered furniture without fire labels”
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Can't accept
Applies at Furniture Shops, the only Shelter locations that take furniture; required by law.
Their wording
“upholstered items without a fire label (this is required by law)”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“If you’re donating upholstered or foam-padded furniture, please ensure it has a label confirming it meets UK fire safety regulations.”
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Can't accept
Chestnut Tree House/St Barnabas House pages likewise state upholstered furniture must have current fire labels.
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture without fire label – (items manufactured before 1958 do not require a fire label unless they have been re-upholstered)”
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Can't accept
Furniture collection section also states: 'All upholstered furniture must have a valid fire safety label attached.'
Their wording
“Homeware and furniture: Without fire-retardant labelling, as well as certain items like cushions, partially burned candles, and gas appliances.”
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Can't accept
Accepted if it has a fire label, per the accept list: 'Upholstered furniture (with fire labels)'.
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture without sufficient safety labels”
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Can't accept
Includes beds/mattresses, padded headboards, upholstered dining chairs and footstools without fire labels
Their wording
“without fire labels, e.g beds/mattresses, padded headboards, upholstered dining chairs and footstools”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture without the correct fire labels”
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Can't accept
Listed under 'We cannot accept'; the main donate page separately notes sofas and armchairs must have fire labels, and the furniture page states all upholstered furniture must have a fire label securely attached to the item and each component of a set.
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture without a fire label”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Also please note that all soft furnishings must have fire labels attached or St Clare is unable to sell them.”
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Can't accept
Furniture Centre only accepts soft furnishings (sofas, armchairs, futons etc.) with a fire safety label; items without one are refused unless pre-1950.
Their wording
“Soft furnishings without fire labels (unless it's pre-1950)”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Furniture without the attached fire regulations label”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Furniture without fire labels”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Upholstered items & soft furnishings without permanent fire labels attached”
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Can't accept
Condition stated for items requested via the free furniture collection service.
Their wording
“Each individual upholstered item must have a fire label attached.”
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Can't accept
Sofas and upholstered beds are only listed among welcomed items when they carry a fire safety label, implying unlabelled upholstered furniture is not accepted.
Their wording
“Furniture e.g. sofas & beds with mattresses (with fire safety labels) dining sets and bedroom furniture”
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Can't accept
Required 'I agree' checkbox on the online collection-request form confirming soft furnishings/upholstered items have fire safety labels attached before a collection can be booked; a separate field also asks whether a fire safety label is attached to soft furnished items.
Their wording
“Soft furnishings have fire labels attached. Unsure of what fire labels look like? You can check on the Fire Safe website.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“❌ Upholstered furniture without 1988 Fire Regulation Labels”
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Can't accept
Furniture collection service page adds: 'By law, we cannot sell upholstered furniture in our stores without a fire safety certificate' and requires 'there is a fire safety label firmly attached or sewn into every item you donate' and 'there are no rips or tears that expose the inner fabric.'
Their wording
“Household furniture. We can accept most items but sofas, armchair’s, upholstered dining chairs can only be accepted if they still have the original fire safety regulation label attached, unless pre 1950’s. Otherwise it is illegal for us to sell them in our shops. They also need to be in a sellable condition (no rips, stains or tears).”
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Can't accept
Upholstered furniture WITH a fire safety label is accepted, but only at selected stores (Crookes and Kilner Way).
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture without a fire safety label (including furniture sets)”
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Can't accept
Upholstered furniture (mattresses, divan bases, chairs, sofas etc.) is only taken if it has a fire label attached.
Their wording
“Please ensure any upholstered items, including mattresses, divan bases, chairs, sofas and so on, have a fire label attached.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture without a valid fire label”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Upholstered products and soft furnishings not displaying current fire retardant certification”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Upholstery Furniture – without a label or fire safety instructions.”
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Can't accept
Refused unless the item is antique or pre-1950.
Their wording
“In order to comply with Trading Standards, beds and upholstered items must carry a fire label to prove that they comply with the 1988 (or later) fire regulations, unless antique or pre-1950.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture without fire label”
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Can't accept
Stated as a requirement for items collected via the free furniture/large-item collection service.
Their wording
“Upholstered items must have a fire label attached.”
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Can't accept
From the online furniture-collection request form; a purchase receipt dated no later than 1985 is offered as an alternative to a fire label.
Their wording
“Unfortunately, we are not able to collect your upholstered item if there is no fire label attached or purchase receipt.”
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Can't accept
Labels must be attached prominently, visible and legible; also covers cushions and tailored furniture covers.
Their wording
“We can only accept upholstered items if there is a label attached that lets us know it meets UK safety standards. Collection of items, such as three piece suites or a set of dining chairs must carry the appropriate display label on each individual item. In all cases the display label must be attached to the furniture in a prominent position be clearly visible and the wording on both sides can be read with reasonable ease.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Furniture that does not comply with fire retardant standards or without relevant fire safety labelling”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Non-fire-retardant standard furniture or no labelling”
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Can't accept
Listed under what can be donated only 'with the fire retardant labels attached', implying furniture lacking the label is not accepted.
Their wording
“Furniture (with the fire retardant labels attached).”
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Can't accept
Furniture predating the 1950s doesn't need a fire label.
Their wording
“upholstered donated furniture without a fire label (unless pre-1950s)”
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Can't accept
Also refused if damaged with large tears.
Their wording
“Damaged upholstered furniture with large tears or without the fire-resistant label”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture without a fire label including items without labels that are part of donated sets.”
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Can't accept
A fire label must be permanently attached (usually sewn or stapled) certifying UK fire safety standards.
Their wording
“We are only able to sell upholstered items if they have a fire label attached.”
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Can't accept
Collection cannot be completed if upholstered furniture lacks a fire safety label.
Their wording
“All upholstered furniture have fire safety labels attached Yes they have (If not we may not be able to complete your collection)”
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Can't accept
From the furniture collection page's booking conditions. The Donate to a shop page separately states cushions, cushion covers and tailored furniture covers are refused unless a fire label is attached.
Their wording
“All furniture must also have fire labels.”
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Can't accept
Upholstered furniture is only listed as accepted when it carries the required (fire) safety labels; the furniture-collection booking form separately requires donors to confirm 'all soft furnishings have fire labels attached'.
Their wording
“Furniture (with required safety labels if upholstered)”
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Can't accept
Stated on the furniture donation collection request form.
Their wording
“Unfortunately we cannot accept any upholstered items that do not have fire labels attached.”
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Can't accept
Traid category-wide rule
No furniture or other bulky items — Traid shops handle clothing and textiles only.
Their wording
“duvets, pillows, furniture or other bulky items”
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Can't accept
Also listed as "Upholstered items without fire safety labels" in the "Items that we cannot collect" list. Requires a fire safety label firmly attached or sewn into every item, with no rips or tears exposing the inner fabric; van crews can't accept items that don't meet this. Applies to the free furniture collection service (van crews).
Their wording
“By law, we cannot sell upholstered furniture in our stores without a fire safety label.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture where the Fire Safety label is not attached”
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Can't accept
The Furniture Shop separately lists "Sofas with fire safety regulation labels" as accepted.
Their wording
“Sofas and furnishings without fire safety label”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Upholstered furniture that does not comply with safety regulations and has no fire retardant labelling”
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Can't accept
The page covers post-1950 furniture; pre-1950 pieces are outside this item and are the stated exception.
Their wording
“Upholstered donated furniture without a fire label (unless pre-1950s)”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“All upholstered items must have a valid fire safety label attached.”
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Can't accept
Furniture and upholstered items must have fire labels
Their wording
“Furniture & upholstered items with fire labels”
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Can't accept
Willow Burn Hospice category-wide rule
Furniture is instead routed through a referral partnership with CDFHS (County Durham Furniture Help Scheme), which handles storage, sales and distribution and shares 20% of the sale with Willow Burn.
Their wording
“Space limitations mean furniture cannot be accepted or sold directly in Willow Burn shops.”
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Can't accept
Stated in the furniture collection service acceptance conditions.
Their wording
“Any upholstered/soft furniture items that do not have a fire label attached”
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Can't accept
Listed under 'We do accept' as only furniture WITH fire labels; furniture lacking a fire label is therefore not accepted.
Their wording
“Furniture with fire labels”
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Can't accept
Fire safety labels must be attached to upholstered furniture or it is refused; stated on both the shops page (furniture collection list) and the furniture collection registration page
Their wording
“we are unable to accept white goods or upholstered furniture without attached fire labels.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Please be aware that soft furnishings such as sofas, chairs and armchairs must by law have the relevant fire and safety labels otherwise we cannot accept them.”
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Can't accept
Woodgreen Pets Charity category-wide rule
Furniture and other household items are not currently accepted because their collection service is not running.
Their wording
“our collection service is not currently running”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“All upholstered items must have a fire label attached.”
Not mentioned in 31 charities' guidance
Absence from a charity's list doesn't mean they accept it — it just isn't singled out. Ask your local shop.
- Age UK
- Ardgowan Hospice
- Blythe House Hospice
- Children's Hospice South West
- Claire House Children's Hospice
- Cransley Hospice Trust
- Crisis
- East Lancashire Hospice
- FARA Charity Shops
- Garden House Hospice Care
- Highland Hospice
- Hospice of the Valleys
- Jersey Hospice Care
- Martin House Children's Hospice
- North Devon Hospice
- Nottinghamshire Hospice
- Octavia Foundation
- Oxfam
- Pendleside Hospice
- Phyllis Tuckwell
- Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care
- Salvation Army (SATCoL)
- Samaritans
- Save the Children
- Shooting Star Children's Hospices
- St Christopher's Hospice
- St John's Hospice (London)
- St Luke's Cheshire Hospice
- St Nicholas Hospice Care
- Weldmar Hospicecare
- Wisdom Hospice