Where to get a Sunflower lanyard in the UK, free or paid

Hidden Disabilities Sunflower runs the green lanyard with sunflowers on it, and it is easy to get, though not always in the way people expect. Some places hand one over at a desk with no questions. Some cannot post one. Some charge. This guide is a place-by-place list of where to pick one up in the UK, with what each source says. It was checked on 26 October 2026. For what the lanyard means and who can wear one, see our main Sunflower guide.

Where can you get a Sunflower lanyard for free?

You can get one free from organisations that have joined the scheme, usually by asking at a customer service, assistance or reception desk. The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower site describes lanyards as free of charge to customers from member businesses and organisations. We could not load that page directly on 26 October, so we are relying on how its text shows in search results, and the list below is better evidence of where it happens.

What we confirmed on each organisation's own page, and where:

• Heathrow. Free at an Assistance Desk in any terminal, and any member of staff in a purple uniform can point you to one.
• Gatwick. Free at the Assisted Travel desks in the check-in areas, even if you have not booked assistance. They open daily from 04:00.
• Manchester Airport. Free at the Assistance Reception areas in the Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 check-in halls, on the day you travel. They cannot be posted.
• Stansted. Collected from the Assistance Reception in Zone A, with no need to book Assisted Travel. They cannot be sent before your trip.
• Edinburgh Airport. A lanyard or pin from the Special Assistance reception or the Security Hall on your travel date.
• Train stations. National Rail says you can ask for one at your local station in England, Scotland or Wales, or contact Hidden Disabilities. Southeastern says you can ask at a ticket office, call customer services, or use its app, with no diagnosis needed.
• NHS hospitals. Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust gives them out at the main receptions of University Hospital Lewisham and Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and says they are yours to keep. North Bristol NHS Trust offers lanyards and wristbands at the main reception of the Brunel building at Southmead Hospital and at Cossham Hospital. Neither page states a charge.
• Councils and universities. Kingston Council gives them out free at Reception in Guildhall 2 and Kingston Library. The University of Sheffield lists eleven campus locations, from welcome desks to libraries, and says you do not need to explain your condition or give your name, though you may be asked to confirm you are a student.

If your local airport is not on this list, the CAA says some airports provide lanyards or badges through assisted travel desks, and that this is optional. Ask at the desk.

We did not check supermarkets, shops or banks. Some of these hand out lanyards, but we could not verify current practice at any chain, so ask at customer services in the shop.

How do you buy an official Sunflower lanyard?

You buy one from the official Hidden Disabilities Sunflower UK shop. The triple breakaway lanyard with an ID card and a clear cover is listed at £6.00, according to the shop listing as it appeared in search results on 26 October. We could not open the shop page itself, so confirm the price and delivery cost at checkout.

A breakaway lanyard comes apart if it is pulled hard, which matters on a platform or in a crowd. If you want the lanyard before you reach the airport, buy it. It means you wear it from the car park instead of picking it up after the first queue.

What do you say when you ask for one?

You can say as little as "Could I have a Sunflower lanyard, please?" You do not have to give a reason. The scheme asks for no proof, Sheffield's page says you do not need to explain your condition or give your name, and Kingston's describes it as a way to show you may need extra time, support or understanding.

If staff ask how they can help, you choose how much to tell them. Something specific tends to work better than something general: "I find queues and noise difficult, so I may need a moment" is easier for a member of staff to act on than a diagnosis.

What does it get you, and what does it not?

It lets trained staff know you may need more time, patience or help. It does not give you a discount, a queue skip or a right to anything. The airports show how much it varies. Manchester says its lanyard gives access to all departure security lanes and the Family and Assisted Travel lane. Stansted says its lanyard does not give access to Security FastTrack. Read the page for your airport before you rely on it.

A lanyard also works best with a booking behind it. Our Passenger Assist and airport guides cover booking help in advance.

Sunflower, JAM Card or Railcard?

They do different jobs, and you can use more than one. The Sunflower is the easiest to get and needs no proof. The JAM Card is a free card or app that asks for a minute of patience. The Disabled Persons Railcard saves a third on fares and has evidence rules. Our guide to the new Railcard route for autism and ADHD covers that.

Things to know

• Airport lanyards are collected, not posted. Plan time at the desk, or buy your own beforehand.
• Staff training varies. A lanyard is a prompt. Not everyone who sees it will know what it means.
• You can remove it any time. Wearing it is your choice, every time.
• Free is not guaranteed. Some places charge or run out. Ask what the position is where you are.
• We could not open the official shop pages. The price comes from a search listing, so check it at checkout.
• Checked on 26 October 2026. Locations and wording come from each organisation's own page on that date.