Free condoms

For 25 year olds and over

If you have sex without a condom and are not using any other contraception then you may end up pregnant which, if unplanned, can be difficult to deal with. If you have sex without a condom, you also risk catching a sexually transmitted infection (STI). STIs are common in the UK and although most are easy to treat, if left untreated, they can have serious implications for your health and of course, you can infect others. For more information on STIs and sexual health, you can visit NHS Choices

Free condoms are available across the district to help to protect against STIs and unintended pregnancy.

Free condom scheme

We can provide you with condoms, lubricant, femidoms, oral sex ‘dams’ and basic sexual health advice at a range of places throughout Bradford and Airedale.

Our aim is to help you to protect yourselves (and your sexual partners) from a range of sexually acquired infections and unintended pregnancy.

How can I get them?

You can get free condoms from any of the clinics run by the Contraception and Sexual Health (CASH) service and some general practices.

If you are in touch with an agency or community centre you may also be able to get them from there.

For any information about the scheme (or to give us feedback)
please email us

What’s what?

Condoms

Condoms offer the best protection from STIs and also prevent against pregnancy. All condoms we give out are suitable for oral (mouth), anal and vaginal sex. We advise all condoms are used with extra lubricant (except during oral sex). Condoms are made of latex (we also offer latex-free condoms) and come in many different shapes and sizes. For more information about how to use a condom visit www.condomessentialwear.co.uk

Female condoms / Femidom

Although less well known, female condoms are a great alternative to the male condom in protecting against STIs and preventing pregnancy. They fit inside the vagina and overlap the outer area. They are latex-free and can be used by people with latex allergies. They can be used with any lubricant including oil-based lubricant, which can damage latex condoms. Instructions on how to use female condoms can be found on the packet. You may also want to watch this video which shows how to insert and remove a female condom.

Lubricants

Lubricant (or lube) helps to enhance sexual experiences whilst also decreasing the chance of the condom ripping (for vaginal or anal sex). For this reason we advise that you always use lube with condoms, femidoms and oral sex dams. Only ever use water-based lubricants with latex condoms. Other lubricants may damage the condom (such as oil-based lube, including Vaseline and massage oil etc). Lubricants also come in different flavours.

Lubricants (lube):

increase pleasure
reduce chance of condoms splitting
cause less friction and irritation
when used with dams acts to replace the lubrication that saliva would provide
prevent condom damage and/or tears to the anal tissue during anal sex

Oral sex dams

Oral sex involves the vagina and the anus, mainly licking or touching also known as (vaginal) ‘licking out/going down’ or (anus) ‘rimming’ .They form a protective barrier and are hardly noticeable. They come in a selection of flavours and latex-free dams are available. These help stop people catching an STI via oral sex.

Oral sex dams are made from latex (non-latex dams available) and are a thin latex sheet used to cover the genital areas during oral sex.

Remember, male and female condoms are the only form of contraception which protects against STIs when having vaginal, anal or oral sex.

If your condom breaks or you have sex without one and are worried about pregnancy, you can access free emergency contraception which works for 72 hours after sex. See the Emergency Contraception of this website.

For people under 25

If you have sex without a condom and are not using any other contraception, then you may end up pregnant, which, if unplanned can be difficult to deal with. If you have sex without using a condom, you also risk catching a sexually transmitted infection (STI). STIs are common in young people across the UK but most are easy to treat. If left untreated, however, they can have serious implications for your health and those people that you might infect. For more info on STIs visit Like it is

Fortunately using male and female condoms is an excellent way to make sure the sex you have is safe so that you don’t have to worry about STIs and unplanned pregnancy. Better yet, our range of condoms and other products means that you can have safe, healthy sex and be free of worry – relax and just enjoy yourself!

Free condoms are available across the district to help to protect against STIs and unintended pregnancy. If you are 19 or over, they are available from CASH services, your GP, Information Shop in Bradford, City Centre Project or Connextions on Cheapside

If you are under 19, see the information about the C-Card scheme below.

Did you know?

10% of sexually active under 25 year olds in Bradford and Airedale has chlamydia (that is 1 in 10)… so condom use is important to prevent its spread and protect yourself
4% of young women (under 18) from Bradford and Airedale become pregnant each year, leading to nearly half deciding to terminate the pregnancy.

Both unintended pregnancy and the termination of a pregnancy are very difficult issues to deal with and condoms can provide reassurance, particularly if used with another form of contraceptive such as a Long Acting Reversible Contraceptive (LARC).

For any information about the free condom scheme (or to give us feedback)
please email us