Free baby stuff in the UK comes from four main places: government support such as the £500 Sure Start Maternity Grant and Healthy Start payments, baby banks for families who are referred, pre-loved items from other families, and retailer parenting clubs that give samples and offers. Government support and baby banks depend on your circumstances. Family sharing does not require a benefits referral; parenting clubs have their own eligibility and offer rules.
This guide sets out what each route gives and who can use it, so you can spend your time on the ones that fit. We checked the official pages linked below on 12 November 2026. Amounts and rules change, so confirm with the source before you apply.
Start with what you actually need
Make a short list before you sign up for anything. A few things should normally be new or carefully checked. Many others, such as clothes, blankets, slings, baths and toys, are easy to find pre-loved.
The NHS list of what you need for your baby is a sensible starting point. Then cross off what friends and family have already offered.
Government support, if you are eligible
These are payments rather than items, but they are the largest sources of free help for families on a low income.
- Sure Start Maternity Grant (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). A one-off payment of £500 if you or your partner get certain benefits, such as Universal Credit. It is usually for a first child. You can claim from 11 weeks before the week your baby is due until 6 months after the birth.
- Healthy Start (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). If you are more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4 and get certain benefits, Healthy Start loads money onto a prepaid card every 4 weeks. You can spend it on milk, fruit, vegetables and infant formula. It also gives you free Healthy Start vitamins. Under-18s who are pregnant qualify whatever their income. From April 2026 the City of London's family information service lists £4.65 a week in pregnancy and for children aged 1 to 4, and £9.30 a week for babies under 1.
- Scotland. Families in Scotland use Best Start Foods and the Pregnancy and Baby Payment instead, with their own eligibility and application windows. Every newborn in Scotland can also get a Baby Box of clothes, a mattress, bedding, books and other essentials.
Baby banks, through a referral
Baby banks give clothes, equipment and essentials to families who need them. Most work through referrals from professionals such as midwives, health visitors or social workers. Each one sets its own rules.
Use the Baby Bank Alliance map to find baby banks near you. It lists more than 400 across the UK.
In London, Little Village supports families with a child under 5, or who are more than 30 weeks pregnant, in 16 London areas including Hackney, Lambeth, Southwark, Tower Hamlets and Westminster. Families need a professional to refer them. Most items are pre-loved, while mattresses, bottle teats, breast pumps, nappies and toiletries are given new. If you think you qualify, ask your midwife or health visitor about a referral.
Pre-loved baby things from local families
Babies outgrow things in weeks. That is why so many families have a bag of 0-3 month clothes, a baby bath or a bouncer that they are happy to give away. Anyone can ask, and you do not need a referral.
On YoungPlanet, families give away children's and baby items for free. You ask for an item in the app and arrange collection with the family. See what is available now in free baby and children's items, or the free stuff in London page if you live there. Our guide to finding free baby clothes in the UK has tips on sizes and bundles.
Before you collect anything, ask about condition and what is included. Look up bigger items on the government recall list.
Things to get new or check carefully
Some items are not worth taking second-hand unless you know their full history. Charities are cautious about them too: Barnardo's, for example, does not accept car seats, booster seats, cot mattresses or baby bouncers.
- Car seats. A seat that has been in a crash can be damaged in ways you cannot see. Only accept one from someone you know and trust, and check it fits your car.
- Cot and Moses basket mattresses. The NHS safer sleep advice recommends a firm, flat, waterproof mattress in good condition. A new mattress is a small cost next to a pre-loved cot.
- Breast pumps and bottle teats. Buy these new, or follow the manufacturer's guidance for a pump designed for more than one user.
Retailer parenting clubs and freebies
Several retailers and parenting brands run clubs with offers, samples or occasional gifts. What you can claim depends on the club's rules, your child's age or pregnancy stage and current stock. Signing up usually means sharing information such as your due date and choosing marketing preferences.
For example, Boots Parenting Club requires a Boots Advantage Card and has eligibility rules for expectant parents and families with young children. To claim an eligible free gift:
- Join the club and link your Advantage Card to the Boots app.
- Check the offers available for your pregnancy stage or child's age, then activate the relevant offer.
- Check participating stores and stock, then show the activated offer and your card at the till.
Offers may take time to appear, and not every member receives every gift. Check the club's current terms before travelling or buying anything to qualify.
Treat freebies as a small extra rather than a plan. A bag of pre-loved clothes from a family nearby is usually worth more than a box of samples.
Which route fits you
Scroll the table sideways on a small screen to compare all columns.
| Route | What you get | Who can use it | Where to start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sure Start Maternity Grant | £500 one-off payment | Families on certain benefits, usually for a first child | GOV.UK |
| Healthy Start | Weekly money for food and formula, plus vitamins | Pregnant or with a child under 4, on certain benefits | Healthy Start |
| Baby bank | Clothes, equipment and essentials | Usually families referred by a professional | Baby Bank Alliance map |
| Local families | Pre-loved clothes, toys and baby gear | Anyone | Browse free items |
| Parenting clubs | Offers, samples and occasional gifts | Eligible parents and carers, subject to each club's rules | Boots Parenting Club and each retailer's terms |
When your baby outgrows something, you can pass it on the same way. See how to sort out outgrown baby clothes or where to donate toys in London.
← Back to the blog
