Baby Bank Alliance Impact Report of 2023

In 2023, the Baby Bank Alliance published its first annual data report. It captured the scale and impact of baby banks across the UK. 

This landmark dataset shines a light on how baby banks support families through hardship. It shows how millions of essential items were distributed, and how baby banks are responding to a rising tide of child poverty. 

148 baby banks submitted data for this first annual report. That included 112 BBA members (81% of those eligible) and 36 non-members. This provides a robust national snapshot. With over 328 baby banks known to be operating across the UK in 2023, we know the true impact is even greater. 

The Baby Bank Alliance Impact Report 2023 demonstrates the growing demand baby banks face. It shows the scale of their contribution to families and children living in poverty. But baby banks cannot continue to meet rising need without: 

• Sustainable funding and secure supply of essentials
• Greater public and political recognition of their role
• Strong partnerships with businesses, donors and local communities

Key Takeaways from 2023

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Scaled up to represent 328 baby banks operating in the UK 2023:

1. 191,849 families supported
2. 452,619 babies and children supported
3. 2,910,009 essential items provided

Baby banks distribute a wide range of essentials, from clothing and cots to prams, feeding equipment and books. In 2023, the items given out included:

• 99,000 clothes bundles
• 12,000 moses baskets providing safer places to sleep
• 10,000 prams and buggies
• 133,000 books, playmats & other items supporting early learning

Year-on-Year Trends (2021–2023)

Data from 75 baby banks who provided year-on-year figures shows a 54.4% increase in referrals between 2021 and 2023 — that’s an additional 33,801 families supported in just two years. When scaled to represent all 328 baby banks across the UK in 2023, this equates to an estimated increase of almost 86,000 families needing support since 2021.

Partnerships

If you would like to explore how your organisation can partner with the Baby Bank Alliance to support families and scale the impact of baby banks across the UK, contact us at [email protected].

For further information

For more detailed information, access to full datasets, or media enquiries about the 2024 Impact Report, please contact our team at [email protected].