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Over 1,000 children a day are being supported by UK baby banks as families face relentless pressure from the cost-of-living crisis

23rd June 2026

London, UK – The Baby Bank Alliance has today warned that families across the UK are being pushed deeper into hardship, after new data revealed a rise in demand for everyday items including cots, formula milk and clothing. The annual survey of baby banks across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland showed an increase across almost every area of support provided in 2025.

The Bank Alliance supports and advocates for the UK’s 400+ baby banks, which provide essential items for babies and children to families in need.

Today’s findings show baby banks supported 210,000 families and 400,000children, an increase of 11% on the previous year. This equates to 1,096 children every single day, or 46 children every hour needing help.

9.4 million nappies were given out, and 6.4 million items of clothing were distributed. Both up by 8% and 21% respectively.

In the past three years, Baby Bank Alliance members have seen a steep rise in demand for services, despite many of them struggling to meet this need.

More than half of baby banks responding to the survey (57%) said they had still been unable to fulfil some referrals from professionals such as health visitors and social workers, although this had fallen from 65% in 2024. More than half (53%) also reported operating waiting lists for essential items such as prams.

Among baby banks unable to help families, shortages of essential items remained the biggest barrier, cited by 44% of respondents as the most common reason.

The findings suggest the underlying crisis facing families is becoming more complex, with pressures extending beyond financial hardship. They observe among the families they support; 75% pointed to unsuitable or insecure housing.

Despite the government scrapping the two-child limit to benefits earlier this year, four million children in the UK are still living in poverty*. Almost half of them are under the age of 5.

Chair of the Baby Bank Alliance Sophie Livingstone MBE said:

“Every child has the right to a safe place to sleep, and clothes to keep them warm. Children having to rely on baby banks for basics essentials is unacceptable.

“We know families are struggling more than ever with work and housing insecurity, rising energy & food bills, and unaffordable childcare.  Baby banks are doing everything they can to provide a crucial safety net and stop families from falling through the cracks, but charities alone cannot continue to absorb the impact of child poverty on this scale. It’s time the government took the impact of poverty in children’s early years more seriously.”

Abby, a mum who is being supported by her local baby bank said:

“We’ve got 3 little kids and it’s so hard to make ends meet. Even when you work, you’re trying to afford some of these things but It’s so expensive. My partner works but we still struggle. I’ve been given clothes and shoes recently that I just couldn’t afford to buy otherwise.

“The team here is amazing; it’s been so valuable to me and if it wasn’t here, it would be tough for families like mine. We need more people like this in the world”

Long term support is something many baby banks continue to see rise; with some families depending on assistance for several months, if not longer. Baby banks report an estimated 20% of referrals they received last year were repeat visits from families, although this is likely to be a conservative estimate.

Rev Caroline Hewitt who runs Little Lighthouse Baby Bank in Greater Manchester said:

“These numbers are shocking but sadly are consistent with our experience in South Manchester. There are some families who were referred to before their baby was born, and we’re still supporting them two years on with basics like nappies and clothes. Some of our families are coming to us regularly for formula milk, which I find very worrying. It makes me wonder what they would do if we weren’t here.

“It’s one thing being able to offer support in an emergency, which we are very happy to do, but we are being relied upon more and more. Going to the baby bank has become as normalised as going to the Food Bank. That is a tragedy in 21st century UK”

Multimedia content, spokespeople, and case studies are available on request. For further details Please contact Jamilla Malik, Media & Communications Manager- Baby Bank Alliance: [email protected] / [email protected]

Notes to editors

[1] Change calculated using the 143 baby banks which provided data on number of families, children and referrals in both 2024 and 2025.

Data Methodology: