Eight thousand families and 12,000 children across the West Midlands received help from 20 baby banks last year, according to new data from the Baby Bank Alliance, highlighting the ongoing impact of the cost-of-living crisis. Nationally, 210,000 families and 400,000 children in the UK were supported by baby banks in 2025.
Essential items provided to families
Baby banks are voluntary organisations that provide vital support to families, including clothing, footwear, and other necessities. In the West Midlands, 860,000 items were donated, with 58 per cent (498,800) classified as bathing and changing essentials. The next largest category was clothing and footwear, with 283,800 items given to those in need.
Other items included learning materials (six per cent), sleep items (two per cent), feeding goods (one per cent), and other essentials (one per cent).
Impact of the cost-of-living crisis
Birmingham has been heavily impacted by the cost-of-living crisis, with many residents facing poverty daily. Sophie Livingstone, chair of the Baby Bank Alliance, 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.”
She added: “We know families are struggling more than ever with work and housing insecurity, rising energy and 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.”
Call for government action
The Baby Bank Alliance urges the government to address child poverty more effectively, as baby banks struggle to meet demand. The data comes from the Annual Survey of 2025, shared by the alliance.
