All items · Media & books
VHS tapes
Also covers: video tapes, video cassettes
Can you donate VHS tapes to a UK charity shop? Usually not.
Why shops may refuse it
Demand is now very limited, so many shops have stopped taking them. Some still accept commercially released tapes in their original cases.
What to do instead
Tapes are hard to recycle — some specialist schemes take them; check before binning. Usable commercial tapes may find a collector through a local reuse group.
Useful links: Offer them on Freecycle ↗
Charity by charity
43 mentions-
Can't accept
Also excludes free CDs/DVDs given away with magazines or newspapers.
Their wording
“VHS or free CDs/DVDs from magazines or papers”
- Can't accept
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Video or cassette tapes”
-
Can't accept
Listed under "Other" (physical video tapes), distinct from "Video recorders" (the playback hardware), which is separately refused under Electrical equipment.
Their wording
“Videos”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Video tapes”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Reference books, cds, dvds and vhs videos”
- Can't accept
-
Can't accept
Audio cassettes are also refused on the same line.
Their wording
“Cassette and video tapes”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“VHS tapes”
-
Can't accept
Referred to as home-recorded "video ... tapes".
Their wording
“Home recorded computer games, DVDs, video and audio tapes”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Pirate DVDs, VHS videos and magazines”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Videos and cassettes”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Video cassette tapes”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“VHS Tapes and Music Cassette Tapes”
- Can't accept
-
Can't accept
'video tapes' refers to VHS tapes.
Their wording
“Computer equipment, ink cartridges, video tapes or cassette tapes, DVDs and mobile phones.”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Video (VHS) or audio cassette tapes”
-
Can't accept
Video tapes listed jointly with CDs and DVDs under 'Goods We Cannot Accept'.
Their wording
“Video tapes, CDs and DVDs”
-
Can't accept
From "What can't you donate?"
Their wording
“We can't accept bulky items of furniture like beds and big chests of drawers and we no longer take VHS videos or cassette tapes.”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“video and audio tapes”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“CD's DVD's, Videos”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Videos tapes”
-
Can't accept
VHS tapes are listed together with CDs and DVDs in a single bullet.
Their wording
“VHS video tapes, CDs, DVDs”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“VHS videos”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“DVDs without a British Board of Film classification, video tapes”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Video tapes”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Videos”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“❌ CDs, DVDs and VHS video cassettes”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“VHS / Video cassettes”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“VCR videos”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Computer equipment, ink cartridges, video and cassette tapes, mobile phones”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“VHS video tapes”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Video recorders / tapes”
-
Can't accept
Their wording
“Video cassette tapes”
- Can't accept
-
Can't accept
VHS videos not accepted.
Their wording
“All VHS videos, or pirate/personal DVDs /CDs”
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Can't accept
Their wording
“Video and cassette tapes”
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Can't accept
Listed under 'Tapes & Film'; also covers cassettes, audio tapes and undeveloped film.
Their wording
“We cannot accept VHS tapes, cassettes, audio tapes or film, even if undeveloped. You are able to recycle these items through Tip Top Media.”
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Check first
Unless new or sealed; DVDs, videos and cassettes grouped together.
Their wording
“DVDs, videos, cassettes”
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Check first
Accepted only if playable, correctly labelled and clean; damaged/warped tapes and home recordings are refused.
Their wording
“However, please ensure that all tapes are in a saleable condition. ✅ Playable - tape is not damaged and can still be played on a VHS player ✅ Labelled correctly - clear title or description of contents ✅ Clean and intact - case and tape are free from dirt or sticky residue Please do not donate tapes that are: ❌ Damaged or warped - tape is stretched, crinkled or broken ❌ Home recordings - personal videos”
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Check first
Only VHS tapes without an official age (BBFC) rating are refused; rated tapes may be accepted.
Their wording
“VCR videos or DVDs without official age ratings”
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Accepted
Their wording
“CDs, cassette tapes, records and singles, videos and DVDs”
-
Accepted
'Videos' listed under 'Entertainment' as accepted; home-recorded video tapes are separately refused.
Their wording
“Vinyls, CDs, DVDs, cassettes, videos online gaming and books.”
Not mentioned in 110 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
- Ardgowan Hospice
- Ayrshire Hospice
- Barnardo's
- Barnsley Hospice
- Bolton Hospice
- British Heart Foundation
- British Red Cross
- Butterwick Hospice
- Cancer Research UK
- Children's Hospice South West
- Claire House Children's Hospice
- Cransley Hospice Trust
- Crisis
- DEBRA
- Derian House Children's Hospice
- Dorothy House
- Douglas Macmillan Hospice
- Dr Kershaw's Hospice
- East Lancashire Hospice
- Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw, Cumbria's Children's Hospice
- Ellenor
- Emmaus
- FARA Charity Shops
- Farleigh Hospice
- Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity
- Garden House Hospice Care
- Great Oaks Hospice
- Great Western Air Ambulance Charity
- Heart of Kent Hospice
- Helen & Douglas House
- 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 Good Shepherd
- Hospice of the Valleys
- Katharine House Hospice (Stafford)
- Katharine House Hospice, Banbury
- Keech Hospice Care
- KEMP Hospice
- Lewis-Manning Hospice Care
- Lindsey Lodge Hospice
- Longfield Community Hospice
- Marie Curie
- Martin House Children's Hospice
- Mountbatten Isle of Wight
- Moya Cole Hospice
- Nightingale House Hospice
- North Devon Hospice
- North London Hospice
- Nottinghamshire Hospice
- Octavia Foundation
- Oxfam
- PDSA
- Phyllis Tuckwell
- Pilgrims Hospices
- Primrose Hospice
- Princess Alice Hospice
- Prospect Hospice
- Queenscourt Hospice
- Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People
- Rotherham Hospice
- Royal Trinity Hospice (London)
- Saint Francis Hospice
- Salvation Army (SATCoL)
- Save the Children
- Scope
- Severn Hospice
- Shaw Trust
- Shelter
- Springhill Hospice
- St Andrew's Hospice (Lanarkshire)
- St Barnabas Hospice (Lincolnshire)
- St Catherine's Hospice (Lancashire)
- St Columba's Hospice
- 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, 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
- Sue Ryder
- The Children's Trust
- The Kirkwood
- The Myton Hospices
- The Prince of Wales Hospice
- The Shakespeare Hospice
- Traid
- Treetops Hospice Trust
- Wales Air Ambulance
- Wigan and Leigh Hospice
- Willen Hospice
- Willow Burn Hospice
- Willow Wood Hospice
- Wirral Hospice St John's
- Woking & Sam Beare Hospices
- Woodgreen Pets Charity
- YMCA (England & Wales)