Buying guides
Plain-English guides to choosing and looking after a mattress or bed, built from UK sources such as the National Bed Federation, The Lullaby Trust, Citizens Advice and Trading Standards. Every guide lists its sources.
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UK mattress and bed sizes, drawn to scaleEvery standard UK mattress size in centimetres and feet and inches, drawn to the same scale — plus cot sizes, EU sizes and how to pick the right size for you and your room.Updated 3 October 2026
Photo: Tami Hills, CC BY 2.0
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Choosing mattress firmness by sleeping positionWhat firmness labels mean, why they differ between brands, and how side, back and front sleepers — and heavier or lighter people — can use them. Based on National Bed Federation and Sleep Charity advice.Updated 3 October 2026
Photo: Amin, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Mattress types explained: open coil, pocket sprung, foam, latex and hybridHow each type of mattress is built, what that means for feel and price, and the questions to ask — with cross-section drawings of each type.Updated 3 October 2026
Photo: Jeffrey M. Vinocur, CC BY 2.5
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How long does a mattress last — and how to make it last longerThe National Bed Federation's checklist for knowing when a mattress needs replacing, why dips are not always a fault, and simple care that extends its life.Updated 3 October 2026
Photo: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
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Bed-in-a-box mattresses: unboxing, expansion time, smells and trialsWhat a rolled or 'bed-in-a-box' mattress is, how long it takes to expand, whether the new-mattress smell is harmful, and what home trials and your legal cooling-off rights cover.Updated 3 October 2026
Photo: Kurt Kaiser, CC0
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Mattress fire safety labels and the UK furniture fire rulesWhat the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations require for mattresses, bed bases and headboards, what BS 7177 means, and what changed on 30 October 2025.Updated 3 October 2026
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How to get rid of an old mattress: recycling, council collections and take-backYour options for disposing of a mattress in the UK — retailer take-back, council collections, recycling centres and licensed collectors — and the van-collector scam to avoid.Updated 3 October 2026
Photo: Alan Stanton, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Children's beds, bunk beds and cot mattresses: a safety checklistWhat The Lullaby Trust, the National Bed Federation and bed makers say about cot mattresses, moving to a big bed, bunk beds, high sleepers and choosing a child's mattress.Updated 3 October 2026
Photo: Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers: mattress and bed FAQs