Baby Banks and Community Fridges: The Free Help Most People Don't Know About

Quick summary: Baby banks give away free, pre-loved essentials for babies and children, nappies, clothes, cots, prams, toys, usually with no referral needed. Community fridges share surplus food that would otherwise go to waste, open to anyone, no means test, no referral, no limit on how often you visit. Both are different from food banks and worth knowing about alongside one.

Baby banks

A baby bank works a bit like a food bank, but for baby and children's items instead of food. There are more than 400 across the UK, supporting well over 200,000 families a year between them, run almost entirely by local volunteers and donated stock.

### What you can typically get

• Nappies, wipes and toiletries
• Clothing and bedding, for babies right through to older children
• Prams, cots, Moses baskets and highchairs
• Toys, books and seasonal items

Exactly what's available varies a lot from one baby bank to the next, since it depends entirely on what's been donated locally.

### How to access one

Some baby banks need a referral from a professional, like a midwife, health visitor or social worker. Others accept self-referrals, where you contact them directly yourself. It genuinely varies, so the best first step is finding your nearest one and checking directly what they need from you.

Find a baby bank near you, Baby Bank Alliance

The Baby Bank Alliance is the national organisation supporting baby banks across the UK, so their map is the most complete and current one available, though it may not include every single local baby bank in existence.

Community fridges

A community fridge is a shared, public fridge, usually in a community centre, school, café or shop, stocked with surplus food from supermarkets, local businesses, and sometimes households, that would otherwise be thrown away. Over 700 operate across the UK through the Hubbub-coordinated Community Fridge Network alone, and in 2025 that network saved over 11,000 tonnes of food and saw more than 700,000 visits.

### How they're different from a food bank

• No referral or voucher needed. You just turn up during opening hours.
• Not means-tested. Anyone can visit, whatever their circumstances.
• No fixed limit, though most rely on people being fair and not taking more than they genuinely need.
• What's available changes daily, since it depends entirely on what's been donated that day, some days a fridge might be full, other days close to empty.

### Finding one near you

Find your nearest community fridge, Hubbub

Some community fridges operate independently outside the Hubbub network too, so it's worth also asking your local council or searching online for "community fridge" plus your area if the map doesn't show one nearby.

Worth using alongside each other

None of these are exclusive. A family might use a food bank for an emergency parcel, a community fridge for topping up the weekly shop, and a baby bank for a pram or winter coats, all in the same month, and there's no issue with that.

If you're specifically looking to stretch a food budget day to day rather than in a crisis, food-sharing apps work in a similar spirit to community fridges: Too Good To Go and Olio: Free and Cut-Price Food Apps Explained. And if you're pregnant or have a child under 4, there's a specific free food scheme worth checking too: Healthy Start: Free Food and Milk Money for Under-5s.

If you need food help today

Search for a food bank near you by postcode or town, most don't require an appointment.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a referral for a baby bank?

It depends on the individual baby bank, some accept self-referrals, others need one from a professional such as a health visitor or social worker. Check with your nearest one directly.

Is there a limit on how much I can take from a community fridge?

There's usually no strict rule, but the expectation is fairness, take what you genuinely need rather than everything available, so there's enough for everyone.

Can I donate as well as use these services?

Yes, both rely almost entirely on donations. Baby banks take clean, good-condition pre-loved items, and community fridges take surplus food that's still safe to eat, check with your local one for exactly what they accept.

Are baby banks only for babies?

No, despite the name, many support children well beyond infancy, some go up to age 11 or older for things like clothing and school uniforms. Check with your local baby bank what age range they cover.

What if there isn't a baby bank or community fridge near me?

Coverage varies a lot by area. If nothing shows on the map, it's worth asking your local council, a Sure Start or family centre, or your local Citizens Advice, who often know about smaller, independent projects that aren't listed nationally.

Are these safe and legitimate?

Yes. Baby Bank Alliance members and Hubbub Community Fridge Network members are part of established, coordinated national networks with safety and food hygiene guidance behind them, though always use common sense when accepting any donated item, particularly anything like a car seat or mattress.

Alongside a community fridge, two free apps can help you get food for nothing or next to nothing: Too Good To Go and Olio: Free and Cut-Price Food Apps.