Mothercare goes into administration: what you need to know

Thousands of jobs are at risk as baby shop Mothercare falls into administration. This comes just a few months after Bathstore went into administration in July 2019 and House of Fraser last year.

UPDATE: On 13 December, Mothercare announced it will be selling Mothercare-branded items including pushchairs and car seats in some Boots stores from next summer.

UPDATE: Mothercare has announced that all of its shops will close as administrators PwC take over.

Late yesterday (Tuesday 5 November) administrators PwC were appointed to take over ailing chain Mothercare. It then announced that all 79 UK stores will close in phases.

In an announcement made on Monday morning the troubled company said its stores 'are not capable of returning to a level of structural profitability and returns that are sustainable'.

Mothercare currently employs 2,500 people and has 79 stores across the country.

Mothercare had already gone through a company voluntary arrangement (CVA), in which 55 shops were shut.

PwC said the UK company has been making a loss for a number of years.

We will keep this page updated at the story progresses.

Find out which retailers top our table of best and worst shops in-store and online

What should I do if I've bought something from Mothercare?

If you have bought something from Mothercare within the past few weeks you may or may not be able to return it in the next few days and weeks, depending on what the administrators decide to do.

For now, everything is business as usual, but this could change very quickly.

Administrators do not have to honour gift vouchers. If you have any, you should spend them soon.

If you have bought someone else vouchers, you should contact them and inform them of the situation.

If you've ordered something online, we'd recommend checking the status with it as there is a chance it could be cancelled or not fulfilled if it hasn't been dispatched already.

If you're buying for a new baby, read our reviews for pushchairs, car seats, baby monitors and high chairs, all of which have been through our rigorous lab tests that go further than the standard.

What are my rights when a retailer goes into administration?

If and when Mothercare goes into administration, for returns and exchanges your rights will depend on what the administrator decides to do.

With faulty items, you may be able to get your money back using one of these methods:

• If you paid for goods costing more than £100 with your credit card, you're protected by section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.
• If the goods were under this value and you paid by debit card, you might be able to claim using chargeback.
• You may be able to use a manufacturer's or other third-party warranty if you have one that is still valid.
• You can submit a claim in writing to the administrator explaining what you're owned and what it's for.

Find out more about your rights if a shop goes into administration in our dedicated guide.