British Heart Foundation has announced plans to close around 150 charity shops across the UK over the next two years as it battles rising costs and changing shopping habits.
The charity said a review of its retail estate found that a number of stores were no longer financially sustainable, prompting proposals to reduce its network of more than 600 shops. Around 90 stores are expected to close by March 2027, with a further 60 set to shut by March 2028.
The British Heart Foundation has pointed to a series of minimum wage rises as a growing financial burden. In its 2025 annual report, the charity said a 9.8% increase in 2024 significantly raised costs across the organisation. Since then, further increases of 6.7% in April 2025 and 4.1% this year have added to employment costs, putting additional pressure on the charity’s shop network and making profitability increasingly difficult to maintain.
The closures form part of a wider restructuring of the charity’s retail operation, which has been hit by rising operating costs and a shift towards online shopping. British Heart Foundation said the changes are designed to ensure its retail arm can continue supporting its research into heart and circulatory diseases.
Chief executive Dr Charmaine Griffiths said the charity was facing an “exceptionally challenging trading environment” and described the decision as a difficult but necessary step.
She said the charity’s shops play an important role in communities across the country, bringing together donors, shoppers and volunteers while raising funds for lifesaving research.
The charity has not yet confirmed which locations will be affected. Staff and volunteers at impacted stores will be offered support, with redeployment opportunities considered where possible.
British Heart Foundation currently operates around 640 shops nationwide and remains the UK’s largest charity retailer. However, the organisation said some locations have become increasingly difficult to sustain as costs have risen and consumer habits have evolved.
The announcement comes amid ongoing challenges for high street retailers and charities, with several organisations citing higher operating costs, weaker footfall and growing competition from online resale platforms. Cancer Research UK previously announced plans to close almost 200 shops as part of its own retail restructuring programme.
British Heart Foundation said its overall financial position remains healthy, but added that changes are needed to create a sustainable retail network for the future and protect funding for research.
The charity is expected to provide further details on affected stores once consultations with employees have taken place.
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