How to donate your old consoles to charity

It’s November, which means the PS5 and the Xbox Series X both hit stores this month. There’s plenty to get excited about with the next-gen consoles and we discuss each in detail in our in-depth reviews.

The two consoles and their cheaper siblings have been years in the making, leaving plenty of gamers excited to upgrade. Whether you’ve pre-ordered your console, are waiting to shop on launch day or plan to upgrade at some point in the future, this does leave one big question mark – what should you do with your old console?

You might be thinking of passing your Xbox One X or PS4 down to a friend or family member, selling it on secondhand or just dumping it in a landfill (please don’t do this).

However, there is a fourth option – there is a charity happy to take your old console off your hands and provide them with a good home.

Related: Best PS5 Games 

Get-Well Gamers UK is an organisation that collects donated video consoles and games and delivers them to children’s hospitals, hospices and other healthcare settings across the UK, providing entertainment and pain relief to kids in need.

“Video games are an effective and proven pain management tool, providing much-needed entertainment for young people during long hospital stays or in circumstances in which recreational activities can be beneficial”, writes Get-Well Gamers on its website.

The charity currently works with over 100 hospitals and organisations across the UK. Read on to find out how to donate your old console to one of them.

Related: Best Xbox Games 

How to donate your old consoles to charity

Get-Well Gamers accepts consoles, accessories and games, including the PS4, PS4 Pro, Xbox One, Xbox One X and Nintendo Switch.

If you’re interested in making a donation, first make sure your console is reset to factory settings, clean and in working order.

Then contact Get-Well Gamers by willing out the form on their website. You’ll receive a confirmation email with all the info you need for posting.

Pack your console or games up in a box, along with a note with your name and email address. Then simply post it via Royal Mail or CollectPlus. Get-Well Gamers estimates a < 5kg parcel will cost you around £5 to send, though the organisation may be able to pay for a postage label if this is an issue. You can read more about that on their website though.

And that’s it – you’ve donated your console!

Staff Writer

Hannah joined Trusted Reviews as a staff writer in 2019 after graduating with a degree in English from Royal Holloway, University of London. She’s also worked and studied in the US, holding positions …