The Government is today (2 July) launching a 12-week call for evidence asking the public to help shape the future of National Lottery Good Cause funding.
Since 1994, players have generated over £53bn for good causes across the UK, funding everything from Olympic and Paralympic champions and iconic institutions to local youth clubs and community halls
For 12 weeks, anyone can take part in the National Lottery Good Causes: Fund What Matters to You call for evidence, and can share their views at GOV.UK.
Nearly a quarter of every pound spent on a lottery ticket goes to good causes, but its funding model is rooted in a different era. There has been no major review of how it works since former Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell’s in 2002-2003, the Government said.
With the National Lottery’s operator Allwyn committed to an ambition to double Good Cause funding to £60m a week by the end of the Fourth Licence in 2034, the Government believes now is the right moment for the public to have more of a say in where their contribution is spent.
Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy, said: “The National Lottery is played by millions of people every single week. It’s not just public money, it’s literally the public’s money and they must be in the driving seat of how it’s spent.
“But for two decades no government has asked people how they want their money to be spent. Decisions are made hundreds of miles from communities who know best and favour larger organisations who can meet the needs of the system, rather than bending the system to work for the small, grassroots organisations who are the lifeblood of our communities.”
Andria Vidler, chief executive of Allwyn UK, said: “People don’t just play The National Lottery for the chance to win, they play knowing that it supports a vast number of charities and good causes up and down the country, funding the things that people really care about.
“We want everyone to know the difference our players make to their communities every time they play. It’s about reigniting the conversation around The National Lottery with positivity, with energy, and with pride, reminding everyone that every ticket is a chance to do some good as well as a chance to win.”
The 12-week call for evidence is open to players, organisations, and communities across the UK. The Government said it wants to hear what’s working, what could be improved, where future funding should go and how to make it easier to access, including how to make sure the National Lottery genuinely reaches those communities most in need and gives local people a greater say in how funding is used where they live.
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