The numbers speak for themselves: together with our partners, we supported more people than ever before, reaching 930,000 people each week through our network of over 9,000 charitable organisations. We distributed £31 million worth of goods last year across the UK, helping organisations redirect precious resources into frontline services, and enabling more communities to access the essentials they need to live well. 

From supporting families with essential hygiene products, to enabling children to learn and play, and helping people stay warm through winter, our work continues to respond to immediate need while strengthening communities for the long term. 

By bringing together businesses, charities and community groups, we create a collective impact that none of us could achieve alone. 

But the number of people in need across the UK continues to grow. According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 4.1 million low income households went without essential items in 2025. Last year we published our own research – A Clean Start in Life – which documented the experiences of hygiene poverty among children and young people. This found that 4 children in every classroom have gone without the basic products that most of us take for granted, like shampoo, shower gel or toothbrushes. This is a scandal that should not – and need not – exist. 

We are scaling our work in response. Our campaign in partnership with Tesco and 6 major manufacturers has so far unlocked nearly 5 million donated hygiene products. In 2025, we also launched a unique partnership with The Hygiene Bank with the ambition to end hygiene poverty, not just alleviate the symptoms. As we develop our new strategy, we have committed to doubling our reach – to 2 million people per week – by 2030. 

More than ever, our commitment remains not only to respond to today’s challenges, but also to ensure everyone has what they need to thrive tomorrow

We’ve made this possible by strengthening the foundations of our work. We have deepened our understanding of the communities we serve, expanded our network, and taken further steps in our sustainability journey, ensuring that improving lives does not come at a cost to the planet. 

2026 will be a landmark year for In Kind Direct, as we celebrate 30 years of impact and take important steps towards our 2026-2030 strategy.  

None of this would be possible without the commitment of our corporate partners, the dedication of our charitable network, and the passion of our team. Thank you for your partnership,  and for sharing our determination that no-one should go without life’s essentials. 

As you read this report, we hope you see not only the impact we have achieved together this year, but the opportunity we have to do even more in the years ahead. 

Michael Gidney 

Chief Executive Officer of In Kind Direct 

Unlocking millions of products donated to end hygiene poverty  

Our long-standing partnership with Tesco continues to demonstrate the power of collaboration at scale. 

The ‘Buy 2 and we’ll donate 1’ initiative brings together a coalition of 6 well-known FMCG manufacturers in a pre-competitive space to get behind the single purpose of ending hygiene poverty in the UK.  

For wider public, this initiative is a simple way they can support communities: when they buy any two participating products, one gets donated to In Kind Direct. Since the first edition in 2022, it has helped unlock millions of essential products, from toiletries to household items, which were distributed through our charitable network. 

We are looking forward to the 6th year of our partnership in April 2026, to generate more impact.  

Why it matters  

Our research shows that 1 in 4 UK households with children are living in hygiene poverty. That’s 2.2 million families who are facing impossible decisions about whether to eat, heat their homes, or keep clean every day.  

By bringing global suppliers and retailers together, we can unlock a huge amount of donated product through a simple action that customers already take, and help challenge the stigma around hygiene poverty.  

 KEY STATS

• 5 million products donated to date 

• 1,000 Tesco stores participated 

• 3,408 charitable organisations across the UK to date. 

• 161 million media impressions 

In 2025, we partnered with Warm Welcome Spaces, united by a shared belief that everyone should feel warmth, belonging and connection during the winter months. 

Through this partnership, we supported communities across the UK to create safe, welcoming environments where people can come together, access essential products, and feel part of something.  

Find out more on our website, including access to practical resources, guidance and support to help you get started. 

Why it matters  

Whether it’s through warm clothing, a hot drink, or simply the opportunity to connect with others, these spaces play a vital role in reducing isolation and supporting wellbeing. 

72% of our network told us products help people feel valued and cared for. Together, we are helping ensure that no one has to face winter alone, and that more people can find a place where they feel valued, supported and connected. 

KEY STATS  

• 2 989 charitable organisations supported  

• £5.5M savings unlocked for our network 

• Bringing the communities’ needs to parliament. 

• 76 donating partners answered our call to support people through winter.  

For the third year running, our partnership with Boots and Her Majesty The Queen continues to support some of the most vulnerable people in society.  

Through the Wash Bag Project, we provide wash bags filled with personal care essentials, donated by Boots, to Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) across the UK.

Why it matters

Each bag offers a small moment of comfort at a time of immense distress, helping to restore a sense of normality, comfort, and self-worth. 

This partnership reflects the power of targeted product donations, ensuring that the right items reach the right people, at the time they are needed most. Beyond this, our ambition is to bring long-term care to play in people’s recovery.  

KEY STATS: 

• 24,603 washbags have been distributed since the start of our involvement with the project in 2023. 

• We have delivered to 62 SARCs directly since 2023 as well. 

In June 2025, we released A Clean Start in Life: Children and Young People’s Perspectives on Hygiene Poverty, in partnership with Children North East. The research explored the realities of hygiene poverty through the voices of children and young people, highlighting its impact on education, friendships, mental health and overall wellbeing. Children described how a lack of access to basic hygiene essentials can lead to stigma, isolation and missed opportunities, preventing them from experiencing a happy and healthy childhood. 

The findings also made clear that change is possible. Children and young people called for better access to essential products in their communities and greater financial support for families. Through this work, we continue to advocate for long-term solutions, including policy changes that address child poverty, alongside ensuring that schools and charities are supported to meet immediate need. 

Why it matters 

Our research show that 1.1m children are currently living in hygiene poverty in Britain. That’s four children in every classroom. 

Of these 

• 1 in 5 (21%) children don’t play with others because they’re worried what people might think 

• 16% have had to wear the same clothes for multiple days in a row 

• 15% of children have had to share individual use products with their family (e.g. toothbrush) 

From April 2026, updated rules means that VAT is no longer charged when companies donate goods up to a certain value to individuals in need, or for charitable organisations to use in their services. This marks a significant step forward in tackling poverty and reducing waste, and In Kind Direct has been advocating for this change. 

For the last three years, In Kind Direct collaborated with national organisations  like Charity Finance Group (CFG), Neighbourly, and the Confederation of British Industry CBI, to shape the reform. We worked closely with the British Retail Consortium BRC, HM Treasury, HMRC to ensure the legislation supports responsible, compliant and scalable product donation for businesses of all sizes. 

Our work has helped evidence and steer this policy change, to support over 9,000 communities in 2025. 

Why it matters  

This change removes a longstanding barrier and make it easier for companies to redirect essential products to communities.  

For companies already working with us, nothing changes. Product donations to In Kind Direct are already exempt from VAT under existing rules, and we’re already compliant with HMRC requirements. 

In 2025, we announced a new partnership with The Hygiene Bank during National Hygiene Week with a shared ambition to end hygiene poverty.  

In October, our nationwide call to action invited community groups, brands, researchers, policymakers and people with lived experience to share their stories. This initiative will help us map the scale of the problem, bring real experiences to show why action is urgent. Over the next 5 years we plan to create the first ever Roadmap to End Hygiene Poverty, built on evidence, lived experience, and a coalition of partners to deliver lasting change. 

In simple words, our joint approach will be to MEASURE it, MAP it, and SOLVE it.  

Why it matters 

Our research shows that 1.1m children are currently living in hygiene poverty in Britain. That’s four children in every classroom.  

By combining our national distribution network with The Hygiene Bank’s community-led model, we can reach more people with essential products while amplifying the voices of those experiencing hygiene poverty.