Where to find charity furniture shops and pick up cheap, environmentally friendly items

Money is tight at the moment, but it’s still possible to get yourself some furniture that doesn’t break the bank and is good for the environment at one of thousands of charity furniture shops across the UK.

Taking furniture from those who don’t need it and selling it at a lower cost than you’d find in mainstream retailers, charity furniture shops can come in handy when something needs replacing. There’s even the chance of picking up a unique or vintage item.

If you’re looking to donate your old furniture, check out the Big Issue’s guide to charity shops that will collect furniture.

If you’re looking to buy furniture, here’s where you can find charity furniture shops.

British Heart Foundation’s charity furniture shops

One of the country’s most recognisable charities, British Heart Foundation (BHF) is well known for its bright red shops.

The BHF has over 180 charity and electrical shops across the country. Find your local branch here.

Prices start at £95 for a sofa, £20 for a TV, £65 for a bed, and £60 for a washing machine.

BHF also sells furniture online, with its own eBay page listing a range of modern and antique items.

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British Red Cross

The British Red Cross operates specialist furniture shops across the country.

Its locations are:

• Ballymena
• Barton-upon-Humber
• Cambridge
• Cardigan
• Cheltenham
• Chorlton
• Dunfermline
• East Grinstead
• Fulham
• Glenrothes
• Hedon
• Leamington Spa
• Llantwit Major
• Petersfield
• Plymstock
• Ramsgate
• Redhill
• Swansea
• Warminster
• Wymondham

However, furniture is also sold in all its charity shops across the country.

You can also pick up kitchenware such as plates, bowls, and cutlery, as well as electrical goods like TVs, lamps and games consoles. Not all British Red Cross shops deal with white goods, however.

• Which charities are fighting homelessness in the UK?
• These are the charities that collect furniture from your home to help those in need
• Charities with shops: Where to find Britain’s best charity shops

Emmaus charity furniture shops

Think of charity shops and you usually think of a normal-looking unit on a high street. But in Bolton, the charity Emmaus has taken over a former military barracks and filled it with furniture.

Derby Barracks is the city’s largest charity shop, and offers furniture for every room of the house.

It’s one of a range of specialist stores Emmaus runs across the country, including a  bedroom store in Brighton. You can find your local branch here.

Emmaus is a charity supporting homeless people with work and accommodation. In 2017/18, it managed to save over 12,000 tonnes of goods from going to landfill.

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Sue Ryder

With over 400 shops nationwide, Sue Ryder is one of the most recognisable charities in the country.

Its charity shops sell the usual items, but some branches specialise in furniture – including its Abbeydale Furniture shop in London.

Sue Ryder also has an online shop selling a range of furniture – including garden furniture and marching bedroom sets.

Money raised in Sue Ryder shops goes towards its work supporting people living with a terminal illness or neurological condition, or who have been bereaved.