​​​​​​​New initiative to tackle furniture poverty in Stoke-on-Trent

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is tackling furniture poverty by giving unwanted household goods a second life.

A new reuse container has been introduced at Hanford Household Waste and Recycling Centre (HWRC) to help prevent bulky items from going to waste.

Instead of being discarded, reusable items such as wardrobes, tables, chairs and sofas can now be placed in the designated reuse container on site. The items will then be collected by local charities and Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Care Leavers team to be redistributed to people and families in need.

Nearly one in ten adults in the UK is living in furniture poverty1 – defined as missing at least one essential furniture item. This is 4.8 million adults across the country, meaning almost 25,000 adults in the city could be expected to be living in furniture poverty.  

The initiative aims to give unwanted furniture and large household items a second life while supporting local residents, charities and community projects.

Councillor Amjid Wazir OBE, cabinet member for city pride, enforcement and sustainability at Stoke-on-Trent City Council said: “This is a fantastic way to reduce waste and make sure good-quality items can be reused by those who need them most. It’s a simple but meaningful change that supports both sustainability and our local community.”

The reuse container will accept a range of larger household items including:

• Wardrobes
• Tables and coffee tables
• Chairs
• TV stands
• Sofas and armchairs
• Drawers
• Bedside cabinets
• Mirrors
• Bed frames (not mattresses)

Visitors to Hanford HWRC are encouraged to speak with site staff if they’re unsure whether their item is suitable for reuse.

For more information on recycling and reuse across the city, visit https://www.stoke.gov.uk/thetip