The place to get free or low-cost toys and presents for youths this Christmas within the UK

Discovering assist with Christmas presents

In case you’re already stressing about paying for college sneakers and winter coats, the considered Christmas presents can really feel like a punch within the abdomen.

You’re not a foul mum or dad when you can’t afford massive piles of toys. Cash is tight for plenty of households proper now, and there’s actual assist on the market so your youngsters nonetheless have one thing to open.

This information walks by the place to search for free or very low-cost toys and presents for kids within the UK, plus what to do when you solely have a tiny funds.

How Christmas toy assist normally works

Most Christmas toy schemes are run by charities, church buildings, radio stations or native teams. They gather new toys from the general public, then go them on to households who’re struggling.

Some allow you to apply straight as a mum or dad. Others solely take referrals from a faculty, social employee, well being customer or one other assist employee.

As a result of each space is totally different, chances are you’ll have to strive a number of routes. The primary factor is to not be embarrassed about asking. These schemes exist as a result of individuals know the way exhausting Christmas might be.

Nationwide Christmas toy appeals

Salvation Military Christmas Current Attraction

The Salvation Military runs one of many greatest Christmas toy appeals throughout the UK. Native church buildings and centres gather new toys as much as mid-December, then give them out to households who would in any other case wrestle.

get assist:

• Search for “Salvation Military” plus your city and speak to the native church or centre.
• You may also ask your college, well being customer or assist employee in the event that they already refer households into the attraction.

The toys are new and normally unwrapped so workers can match presents to ages. In lots of areas they embody youngsters, not simply little ones.

Money for Youngsters Mission Christmas

Money for Youngsters runs the Mission Christmas attraction by native radio stations in lots of elements of the UK.

Buyers donate toys or cash, and the charity makes positive presents attain youngsters who’re liable to waking up with nothing on Christmas morning.

The scheme normally helps youngsters by professionals, not direct self-referral.

get assist:

• Converse to your youngster’s college, nursery or faculty and ask in the event that they work with Money for Youngsters or any Christmas toy scheme.
• When you’ve got a assist employee, ask them if they’ll refer you.

Household Motion Christmas Toy Attraction

Household Motion runs a nationwide Christmas Toy Attraction which sends presents to youngsters supported by their providers. In recent times they’ve distributed tens of 1000’s of presents throughout the nation.

You usually have to already be in contact with Household Motion or be referred by a associate organisation, so it’s value asking when you’re already linked.

The Entertainer and The Huge Toy Attraction

Toy store The Entertainer runs “The Huge Toy Attraction” with the Salvation Military. Between 1 and 29 November 2025, prospects should purchase an additional toy to donate. For each toy donated, The Entertainer matches it with one other one, doubling the assistance.

These toys are handed to native Salvation Military centres and included of their Christmas Current Attraction, which is why contacting your native Salvation Military is a key first step.

Native toy banks and regional appeals

On prime of the massive nationwide schemes, there are many smaller toy appeals that solely cowl sure areas, corresponding to:

• Teesside Charity Christmas Toy Attraction within the North East
• Chiltern Toy Financial institution in elements of Buckinghamshire
• Hospital and hospice toy appeals, like these in Lewisham and Gloucester, which gather toys for kids spending Christmas in hospital

These are simply examples. Many cities and cities have their very own toy financial institution, church attraction or neighborhood challenge.

Fast tip:
Search “Christmas toy attraction” plus your city or county title, and test native information websites and council pages.

discover native toy schemes close to you

Ask your youngster’s college or nursery

Colleges are quietly concerned in a number of Christmas assist. Employees typically know which native charities present toys or vouchers and tips on how to apply.

You may:

• Ship an electronic mail to the college workplace saying you’re struggling and asking if there’s any Christmas assist.
• Ask in the event that they work with any toy appeals, or if there’s somebody you may converse to in confidence.

Converse to your well being customer, midwife or assist employee

When you’ve got a well being customer, social employee, housing officer or household assist employee, they are able to refer you to native toy schemes or hardship funds. Some grants and appeals solely settle for functions from professionals.

Examine your council web site

Many councils pull collectively pages of “assist with meals and presents at Christmas” itemizing native toy appeals, meals hampers and heat areas, even once they don’t run the schemes themselves.

These can embody church initiatives, neighborhood centres and voluntary teams.

Take a look at Turn2us for grants

Turn2us is a nationwide charity that helps individuals discover grants and different monetary assist. Their web site has a Christmas assist web page and an enormous grant search device that lists funds you could possibly apply for.

Some grants gained’t be only for toys, however when you get assist with payments or meals, that may unencumber a bit of cash in direction of presents.

Use native on-line teams

Native Fb teams, Nextdoor and neighborhood pages typically share toy appeals and “no questions requested” reward presents in December. One latest marketing campaign inspired individuals to “undertake” pre-loved toys and provides them a brand new house.

Seek for:

• “Christmas assist”, “toy attraction”, “reward attraction” or “free Christmas presents” plus your city
• Posts from church buildings, meals banks and neighborhood centres asking for toy donations – in the event that they’re accumulating, they’re normally giving them out domestically too

The place to get very low-cost toys you probably have a small funds

Generally you won’t qualify for a charity scheme, however you continue to have to stretch a tiny pot of cash so far as attainable.

Charity retailers and practically new gross sales

Charity retailers are filled with toys in November and December, a lot of them barely used. You may typically discover:

• Board video games and puzzles with all of the items
• Dolls, motion figures and automobiles
• Books and craft units

Examine for half-price or “3 for two” offers, and provides your self time to pop into totally different retailers.

Some youngsters’s centres, church buildings and NCT-style teams additionally run practically new gross sales the place toys are bought very cheaply earlier than Christmas.

Discounted toy gross sales and shops

Huge toy chains and supermarkets typically run sturdy presents earlier than Christmas. Latest examples embody:

• The Entertainer outlet shops providing as much as 70 % off massive manufacturers like Lego and Barbie
• Closing-down gross sales in some branches with “every little thing should go” reductions
• Small toy ranges in Tesco Specific shops, with stocking fillers from just some kilos

You don’t want to purchase the most recent craze. A half-price Lego set or craft equipment might be simply as thrilling as no matter’s trending on adverts.

Grocery store and excessive road bargains

Control:

• Grocery store toy occasions
• Boots, B&M, Residence Bargains, The Works and related low cost chains
• Clearance cabinets, particularly when packaging appears to be like scruffy however the toy’s positive

Use loyalty schemes and cashback apps the place you may, and mix presents with stuff you’re shopping for anyway.

Free and low-cost toy choices all 12 months

If cash is tight, it might probably assist to consider toys in another way all year long, not simply at Christmas.

Toy libraries

Toy libraries allow you to borrow toys for a small charge or, in some locations, without spending a dime. You may swap them each few weeks, so your youngster will get “new” issues to play with with out you having to purchase them.

They’re typically primarily based in neighborhood centres, preschools or libraries, with small membership charges and really low weekly rent prices. Others even supply free memberships for households on low incomes.

Search “toy library” plus your city, or ask your native council or youngsters’s centre.

Toy sharing subscriptions

Some nationwide toy-sharing providers allow you to swap toys by put up for a month-to-month charge. It’s nonetheless a value, however for some households it really works out cheaper than shopping for new on a regular basis.

In case you do join, look out without spending a dime trials, referral credit and second-hand bundles.

Free and low-cost reward concepts that also really feel particular

In case you’re actually up in opposition to it, this may be the 12 months to shift the main target from “what number of presents are below the tree” to “what recollections can we make”.

Listed here are some low-cost or free reward concepts that also really feel like a deal with:

• Expertise vouchers made by you: film evening at house, selecting dinner, staying up late, baking collectively, selecting the music within the automobile
• Print out a “household time out” voucher for a free park journey with sizzling chocolate from a flask
• Second-hand toys cleaned up properly, wrapped effectively and introduced with satisfaction
• Residence-made craft kits: crayons, colouring sheets, stickers and a pocket book in a “artistic field”
• Pre-loved books wrapped individually so there’s nonetheless a pile to open

Speaking to your youngsters if there will probably be fewer presents

Speaking actually with youngsters may also help take the stress off you and them. Charities like Childline remind younger folks that it’s regular to really feel anxious or upset at Christmas, particularly when cash is tight or individuals at house are pressured.

You would possibly:

• Clarify that cash is a bit tough this 12 months, however you’re doing all of your greatest
• Deal with what you’ll do collectively, fairly than what you may’t purchase
• Reassure them that it’s not their fault

Sensible tricks to benefit from any assist

• Apply early – many toy appeals shut in late November or early December, and a few run out of toys
• Have particulars prepared: your youngsters’s ages, tough pursuits and clothes sizes if requested
• Be trustworthy when you can’t afford presents – these schemes are made for households like yours
• Share gently – when you can, go on particulars of those schemes to mates or native teams