How Much to Give at a Baby Shower UK

How Much to Give at a Baby Shower UK

If you've been invited to celebrate a new arrival and you're quietly panicking about the right number, you're not alone. Working out how much to give at a baby shower in the UK is one of those etiquette questions nobody prints on the invitation, yet everyone wonders about on the way to the shops.

The honest answer: there's no fixed rule, but there is a sensible range. Most UK guests give somewhere between £15 and £50, with the exact figure shaped by how close you are to the parents-to-be and what you can comfortably afford.

This guide gives you a clear baby shower gift amount by relationship, explains what counts as an average baby shower gift in the UK, and covers when a baby shower money gift makes more sense than yet another set of muslins. If the parents have set up an online page to collect contributions, you'll also see how that changes things.

Last updated: June 2026.

Key takeaways

• A typical UK baby shower gift sits between £15 and £50. Close family often give £30–£50; friends and colleagues usually land around £15–£25.
• The average baby shower gift in the UK is roughly £20–£30 for a friend, scaling up for closer relationships.
• Cash is completely acceptable — many parents now prefer money gifts towards big-ticket items like a pram or cot.
• You're never obliged to overspend. A thoughtful £15 gift given warmly beats an expensive one given grudgingly.
• If there's an online gift page, you can send a money gift in a couple of taps from any device.

In this guide

• How much to give at a baby shower in the UK
• Baby shower gift amount by relationship
• What counts as an average baby shower gift
• When to give a money gift instead of presents
• How to give money at a baby shower the easy way
• Etiquette do's and don'ts
• Frequently asked questions

How much to give at a baby shower in the UK {#how-much}

How much to give at a baby shower in the UK depends mainly on your relationship to the parents and your own budget — not on any official figure. As a working rule, most guests spend between £15 and £50, and nobody at a well-run shower is keeping score.

Here's a practical gift-amount guide you can use as a starting point:

Methodology note: these ranges are illustrative, drawn from widely cited UK gifting etiquette from sources such as Hitched and mainstream parenting guides like BabyCentre. They reflect typical norms, not a binding standard — treat them as a sensible middle, then adjust for your circumstances. For a tailored figure, the UK gift amount calculator lets you factor in relationship and event type.

The single biggest factor is closeness. A grandparent-to-be will naturally give more than a colleague who's met the mum-to-be twice. The second factor is honesty with yourself about your budget — there's no shame in giving £15 with a lovely card.

Baby shower gift amount by relationship {#by-relationship}

The right baby shower gift amount in the UK scales with your relationship, so it helps to think in tiers rather than chasing one magic number.

Close family tend to give the most, often £30–£50 or a larger contribution towards something significant like a cot, pram or nursery furniture. Grandparents-to-be sometimes go well beyond this, which is entirely their call.

Friends usually settle around £20–£40 for a close friend and £15–£25 for someone in the wider circle. If you're attending as part of a friendship group, pooling together for one bigger present is both cheaper per person and more useful for the parents.

Colleagues and acquaintances typically give £10–£20, or chip into a workplace collection. A shared office gift collection spreads the cost and avoids ten people buying the same babygrow.

If you'd rather give money than guess at a present, a baby shower money gift in the UK is widely welcomed — more on that below.

What counts as an average baby shower gift {#average}

The average baby shower gift in the UK is around £20–£30 for a friend, rising towards £40–£50 for close family. That's a rough midpoint rather than an expectation, and it shifts with the style of the shower.

A casual afternoon-tea shower among friends usually calls for less than a larger, more formal celebration. Destination or "big do" showers sometimes nudge expectations higher, simply because guests are already spending on travel — though no host worth their salt expects you to break the bank.

It's worth remembering that UK baby showers are a relatively recent import, so etiquette here is far more relaxed than the more established gifting traditions around weddings. If you're curious how the numbers compare, our guide on how much to give at a wedding in the UK shows how the same relationship-based logic applies across celebrations.

Not sure between a present and cash? A money gift towards one big item is almost always the most useful thing a new parent can receive.

When to give a money gift instead of presents {#money-gift}

A baby shower money gift makes the most sense when the parents have specific, expensive items in mind — a travel system, a cot, or a nursery refresh — that no single guest can cover alone. Pooled contributions get them there faster than scattered small presents.

Money is also the kinder choice when:

• The parents already have an older child and most of the basics.
• They live in a small flat with little room for excess "stuff".
• They've politely asked for contributions rather than gifts.
• You simply don't know their taste in prams, slings or décor.

There's nothing impersonal about cash when it's given warmly. Pop it in a card with a heartfelt note, or send it through an online page the parents have set up. Increasingly, UK parents lean towards money over a traditional baby registry precisely because it lets them buy exactly what they need.

How to give money at a baby shower the easy way {#how-to-give}

The easiest way to give money at a baby shower is through an online gift page, where you contribute towards a shared fund from your phone in seconds. Many hosts now create a free online baby shower gift page so guests can send a money gift without fussing over cash or bank transfers.

PocketWell is one platform built for exactly this. Hosts create a page for free, share a link or QR code, and guests give from any device — no app needed for guests. As an operating platform handling real gift transactions across the UK and beyond, we see that the sharing step is what actually drives gifts in: a page nobody can find collects nothing.

A quick word on how the money side works, in plain terms:

• It's free for hosts — parents-to-be pay nothing to set up or run a page.
• Guests pay a small 3.9% platform fee plus standard payment processing on top of their gift.
• Funds reach the host securely via Stripe Connect payouts.

That "contribution gifting" model — where several guests top up one fund — is why a £15 gift from each of ten friends can quietly become a £150 pram. If you're weighing a cash fund against a traditional gift list, the same flexibility argument applies to baby showers.

Etiquette do's and don'ts {#etiquette}

Good baby shower etiquette in the UK is mostly common sense, with a few worthwhile reminders.

Do match your gift to your relationship and budget, not to what the person beside you is giving. Do include a card — the message often means more than the amount. Do give early or on the day if you can, so the parents aren't chasing.

Don't feel pressured to overspend, and don't comment on what others gave. Don't assume cash is rude; in 2026 it's one of the most appreciated gifts a UK parent can receive. And don't forget to check whether the host has set up an online page — it's usually the simplest route.

If you're hosting rather than attending, you might find our baby shower setup guide helpful for organising contributions without any awkwardness. For anything else about how giving and payouts work, the PocketWell FAQ covers the details.

Frequently asked questions {#faqs}

Q: How much should I give at a baby shower in the UK?

A: Most UK guests give between £15 and £50, depending on how close they are to the parents. A friend typically gives £20–£30, while close family often give £30–£50. There's no official rule, so the right amount is whatever sits comfortably within your budget and reflects your relationship. If the parents have an online gift page, you can send a money gift in a couple of taps and still add a personal note. Remember that a thoughtful card matters as much as the figure — nobody is keeping a tally at a baby shower.

Q: What is the average baby shower gift in the UK?

A: The average baby shower gift in the UK is roughly £20–£30 for a friend, rising towards £40–£50 for close family members. These are midpoints rather than expectations, and the actual amount shifts with the formality of the shower and your own circumstances. For a more tailored figure based on your relationship to the parents, the UK gift amount calculator gives a quick, sensible estimate you can use as a starting point before you buy or send anything.

Q: Is it acceptable to give money at a baby shower?

A: Yes — giving money at a baby shower is completely acceptable and increasingly common across the UK. Many parents-to-be prefer a baby shower money gift because it lets them buy exactly what they need, whether that's a pram, a cot or nursery essentials. You can tuck cash into a card or contribute through an online gift page if the host has set one up. Far from being impersonal, cash is often the most practical and welcome gift a new parent can receive, especially when several guests pool towards one larger item.

Q: How much do you give for a baby shower if you can't attend?

A: If you can't attend, it's a kind gesture to still send a gift, though a slightly smaller amount — say £10–£20 — is perfectly fine. A card with your best wishes is the most important part. Online gift pages make sending from a distance simple: you contribute towards the fund wherever you are, no posting required. That said, there's no obligation to give at all if you're not attending; a warm message of congratulations is always appreciated and never goes unnoticed.

Q: How much should colleagues give at a work baby shower?

A: Colleagues typically give £10–£20 individually, or chip into a shared office collection at £5–£15 per person. Pooling is usually the smoothest option at work — it spreads the cost, avoids duplicate gifts and lets the team give one meaningful present. A single organiser can set up an online collection so everyone contributes what they like without anyone handling cash. It also sidesteps the awkwardness of comparing amounts, since individual contributions to a group fund stay private.

Q: Do you bring a gift to a baby shower and a gift when the baby arrives?

A: Not necessarily. Many people give one gift at the shower and a smaller token — like a card or a small outfit — when the baby arrives, but giving twice is entirely optional. If your budget stretches to only one gift, the baby shower is the conventional moment. Close family sometimes give at both points, while friends and colleagues usually give once. Do whatever feels right for your relationship and means; UK baby shower etiquette is relaxed and there's no expectation to give more than once.

Final thoughts

How much to give at a baby shower in the UK really comes down to two things: your relationship to the parents and your budget. Use £15–£50 as your guide, lean towards a money gift if you're unsure, and let the card carry the sentiment.

Want a simple way to receive money gifts for a new arrival? Create your free page — it's free for hosts, and guests can send a baby shower money gift from any device in a couple of taps.