Items confiscated at Heathrow security are either destroyed or donated to charity; they are never kept by staff, sold on, or returned to you later. Heathrow has previously partnered with a local Slough charity to donate surrendered toiletries rather than binning them, a practice several other UK airports also follow for non-hazardous items. What actually gets confiscated has changed too: under Heathrow's current 2-litre liquids rule, most toiletries and drinks now travel through security without issue; it's mainly items over 2 litres, and outright banned items, that get taken. Checked against heathrow.com's security and baggage pages, 2026.
What actually gets confiscated at Heathrow security?
Heathrow's own banned and restricted items list, cross-checked with the CAA's prohibited items list, splits into two broad categories:
- Liquids, gels and pastes over the limit. Heathrow now permits liquids, aerosols and gels in containers up to 2 litres in hand luggage, a change from the old 100ml rule. Anything larger than 2 litres is confiscated. Refillable metal or double-walled bottles must be empty going through the scanner, but can be refilled once you're through.
- Outright banned or restricted items, regardless of size: things like compressed gas, corrosives, fireworks, non-safety matches, incapacitating sprays, and devices containing certain magnets or mercury are never allowed in the cabin, whatever container they're in.
Some items, like golf clubs, heavy bats, crossbows and non-safety matches, aren't banned outright but can't go in hand luggage; they simply need to go in the hold instead, so they aren't confiscated, just redirected to your checked bag if you have one.
Where do confiscated items actually go?
Heathrow doesn't publish a single, detailed breakdown of what happens to every category of confiscated item, but there's a well-documented precedent for the main one: surrendered toiletries. A recruitment company arranged for Heathrow to donate abandoned, unopened toiletries, handed in at security, to a homelessness charity in Slough rather than destroying them. Other UK airports have described similar arrangements more recently: Birmingham Airport has said it donates tonnes of non-permitted liquids and left items like pushchairs to local charities each year, and Southend Airport has shown deliveries of confiscated liquids and food going to a local homelessness charity. Items that can't be safely donated, including anything hazardous, oversized liquids past the point of identification, or genuinely banned goods, are disposed of as waste rather than resold or kept.
Will I get my item back if it's confiscated?
No. Once an item is surrendered at the security tray or taken by a security officer, it does not get returned to you, even if you come back through the same airport later the same day. If it's something you need, the only way to keep it is to have checked it into the hold before security, or to post it home, if there's time and a post box airside, rather than hand it over.
How do I avoid having something confiscated at Heathrow?
- Check your liquids are under 2 litres per container before you pack, since that's now the hand-luggage limit rather than the older 100ml rule.
- Empty any reusable metal or insulated bottle before security; you can refill it once you're through.
- Check Heathrow's specific banned items list if you're carrying anything unusual, like sports equipment, tools, or novelty items, since some things are allowed in the hold but not the cabin.
- Remember rules can differ on your return leg. Heathrow notes that if you're flying home from another airport, it may still enforce the older 100ml liquids limit, so don't assume your outbound Heathrow rules apply everywhere.
See our full hand luggage and liquids rules guide for the complete current limits by item type.
FAQs
What happens to liquids confiscated at Heathrow security?
They're not kept, sold or returned. Heathrow has previously donated surrendered, unopened toiletries to a Slough homelessness charity rather than destroying them; items that can't be safely donated are disposed of as waste.
Can I get a confiscated item back later at Heathrow?
No. Once you surrender an item at security, it isn't returned, even if you come back through the airport the same day.
What's the current liquids limit at Heathrow security?
Up to 2 litres per container in hand luggage. This replaced the older 100ml rule. Anything larger is confiscated.
Are all confiscated items liquids?
No. Outright banned items, like fireworks, corrosives, compressed gas and incapacitating sprays, are confiscated regardless of size, as are liquids over 2 litres.
Will my item be confiscated if I'm just connecting through Heathrow, not starting my trip there?
The same security rules apply to anything you carry through a Heathrow security point, whether you're starting your journey or connecting, so liquids over 2 litres or banned items can still be taken at that point.
Does Heathrow sell confiscated items?
No. There's no resale of confiscated goods. The documented practice is donation of safe, suitable items like unopened toiletries to charity, with the rest disposed of as waste.