A recent survey conducted for London Recycles ahead of Repair Week 2025 has revealed that Londoners spent an average of £464.21 per person replacing damaged or broken items they believe could have been repaired over the past year. This adds up to a staggering £3.24 billion[1] across London, marking a £240 million increase from a similar poll conducted for London Repair Week 2024[2].

The findings highlight the significant environmental and financial benefits of repairing rather than replacing items. However, many Londoners are unaware of affordable repair options or don’t feel they have the skills to fix things themselves.

London Repair Week 2025: free workshops and events

London Repair Week 2025, running from 3rd to 9th March, aims to inspire Londoners to embrace the repair revolution. With almost 90 active partners holding over 220 events across the city, many of which are free, the week offers opportunities to learn practical repair skills while connecting with others in the community.

56% of Londoners from the survey agreed that participating in a repair workshop would make them feel more connected to their local community, and 33% claim to have made friends at similar events in the past.

Workshops will cover a wide range of skills and items. Confirmed event hosts include London National Park City, Decathlon, TRAID, Kundakala, NOW Gallery and Trash Club. These workshops are designed to empower participants to extend the life of their belongings while reducing waste and saving money.

Repair Week has expanded beyond London again this year, bringing the repair movement to even more communities across the nation. Greater Manchester will be taking part for the third year running, while Cardiff, County Durham, Liverpool City Region, Belfast and Northern Ireland will take part for the first time.

Ali Moore, Head of Campaigns for London Recycles, said: “London Repair Week is about empowering people to make their stuff last longer, meet people and connect with their community. Whether you’re motivated by financial savings, environmental concerns, or simply want to learn a new skill, there’s something for everyone at this year’s event.”

For a full list of workshops and events during #RepairWeekLDN, visit the London Recycles website London Recycles | Repair Week – What’s On.

Survey findings[3]: a growing appetite for repair culture

The survey conducted by Censuswide reveals a growing interest in repair culture among Londoners:

77% want to learn repair skills to save money
67% would prefer repairing items themselves if they had the knowledge
57% are concerned about the cost of replacing broken items in the coming year
56% enjoy repairing items with others and want to learn more
58% would attend more local repair events if available locally
80% feel a sense of achievement when repairing things
Despite these positive trends, commonly discarded items like shoes (31%), clothing (29%), and kettles (27%) are often thrown away without exploring repair options.

Launching the UK’s first electrical repair voucher scheme

In addition to the events and workshops, an innovative repair voucher pilot scheme is being announced during the week. Funded by the North London Waste Authority and delivered in partnership by The Restart Project, ReLondon and FixFirst, this scheme is the first of its kind in the UK and aims to tackle one of the biggest barriers to repair: cost[4].

Key details of the scheme include:

Vouchers offering consumers 50% off repair costs (up to £50)
A trial run will take place across North London, with businesses accepting vouchers in Haringey, Hackney and Waltham Forest.
Launch date set for 1 April 2025, running for six months
The vouchers are available for use on repairs to household electrical items like toasters, kettles, lamps and tech including mobile phones and laptops
How it works: North London residents can apply for a voucher online and will receive a QR code to use at participating repair high street businesses listed on an interactive map. Once a repair is booked , customers receive their discount at payment. Businesses then claim back the cost from partner Fixfirst.

Fiona Dear, Co-Director at The Restart Project said: “Repair is hugely popular, but cost is one of the main reasons that people don’t fix their electricals. So we’re delighted to be trialling a repair voucher scheme in North London. The trial will directly reduce repair costs for Londoners, encourage more people to try out repair, and support North London’s repair businesses. We look forward to seeing the impact of the pilot, and making the case for further, longer-term schemes in the UK.”