The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has announced plans to close approximately 150 of its charity shops and cut jobs, citing rising costs and a shift to online shopping that have made about a quarter of its high street locations commercially unsustainable.
The charity conducted a review of its retail arm, which employs nearly 3,700 staff, after net profit across its 640 UK stores fell sharply from £18.8 million in 2024 to £3.6 million in the year to 31 March 2025.
“Like most retailers, we are facing an exceptionally challenging trading environment,” said Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive of the BHF. She acknowledged the difficulty for staff and volunteers in affected stores, expressing deep appreciation for their contributions.
The BHF also plans to cut jobs in central functions supporting its retail operation. The charity employs 795 staff at its head office and a total of 4,545 employees. Its wage and pension bill reached £136 million last year, with 180 staff earning £60,000 or more.
Allison Swaine-Hughes, chief commercial officer, said: “We must act now to ensure a sustainable future for BHF retail. This is about protecting our mission for the long term, even when the decisions in the shorter term are hard.”
The BHF intends to close 90 stores by the end of March next year and the remainder by the following March. Despite the closures, the charity said its overall financial position “remains healthy”, though the proportion of income allocated to charitable work dropped to 72% from 77% last year.
