The UK National Lottery started operating in 1994. It began with a single game and a single draw per week. Over the years, the games and draws have increased. Today, there are several games that people can play, with many draws taking place.
At first glance, the number of lotteries may seem a bit overwhelming. Yet some people don’t just play these games to be in with a chance of a big payout, they actually buy tickets as a way of donating money to good causes. That was one of the primary reasons that the country’s lottery was set up in the first place – although some people feel the government should pay for many of the things the lottery funds.
In the period between 2020 and 2021, The National Lottery raised £1.88 billion for good causes. As everyone remembers, 2020 was the year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet people were still buying lottery tickets, and money was being donated through it. That continues into 2022 and beyond. The new lottery operator, beginning in 2024, promises to bring larger donations, too. Yet it is prominent to ask what the good causes are. More to the point, what is the good causes money spent on?
Is the figure generally always the same for the amount raised? Has it increased or decreased over the years? Plus, which area of donations has benefitted the most from the funds? We’re going to take a look into the good causes benefitting from the donations. Let’s find out exactly what good The National Lottery has done over the years.
A Look Back in Time
Over the course of its time, the National Lottery has so far raised more than £46 billion for good causes. This money has found itself donated to sports, the arts and heritage projects. Furthermore, the health, education and environment sectors have benefitted from it. The funds come not only from the sale of lottery tickets, but from unclaimed prizes and other items. All funds for good causes remain in the National Lottery Distribution Fund (NLDF). Payments to good causes are overseen by the UK Gambling Commission.
The Commission also provides an insight into the funds raised back in history. Records from as early as Q1 2016 to 2017 exist for anyone to view. By that time, the lottery had raised a total figure of more than £35 billion for good causes.
Q1 consists of the months between April and June, and in 2016, the sum raised stood at £363.3 million. That figure was 34.6% below the sum raised between January and March of the same year. Comparing that to Q1 in 2015, there was an 18.5% decrease in funds raised. Looking at the remaining figures for the 2015 – 2016 period, the information is as follows:
| 2015 to 2016 Q1 | 2015 to 2016 Q2 | 2015 to 2016 Q3 | 2015 to 2016 Q4 | 2016 to 2017 Q1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £451.7 million | £444.8 million | £466.1 million | £563.5 million | £368.3 million |
And now if we compare those figures with the same quarters in the following year, we get this:
| 2016 to 2017 Q1 | 2016 to 2017 Q2 | 2016 to 2017 Q3 | 2016 to 2017 Q4 | 2017 to 2018 Q1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £368.3 million | £404.9 million | £431.0 million | £428.4 million | £351.7 million |
Other than the massive influx during quarter 4 of 2015 – 2016, there isn’t a dramatic difference. Quarter 1 of each year always seems to be the one that brings in the lowest funds. Then it increases for quarter 2 through to 3 and 4.
Things remain in much the same way for the proceeding couple of years. In 2020-21, the Commission provided a bigger breakdown of the funds for good causes. In that annual report, a basic primary contribution of £1,795.5 million is present. A figure of £60 million was the drawdown for the financial year. A further £10.6 million came off the total for VAT recovery and funding for the promotions unit. That left a total of £1,724.9 million as a primary contribution payable to good causes.
Further to that, a total of £100.3 million served as unclaimed prize money for 2021-21. An extra £6.2 million came about as other miscellaneous payments. This relates to secondary contributions, payments for lost/stolen scratchcards, and so on. Financial penalties are also included in that figure. Thus, the total funds payable to good causes in 2021-21 stood at £1,831.4 million. That far exceeded the figure for the previous year, which stood at £1,788.2 million.
Recent Annual Report
| Data definitions | 2021 – 2022 £ Millions | 2020 – 2021 £ millions |
|---|---|---|
| Basic primary contribution | 1801.3 | 1795.5 |
| drawdown | -71.6 | -60.0 |
| further adjustments | -14.3 | -10.6 |
| primary contribution payable to good causes | 1715.4 | 1724.9 |
| unclaimed prizes | 111.2 | 100.3 |
| interest from trust account | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| misc. payments | 12.2 | 6.2 |
| total funds payable to good causes | 1838.8 | 1831.4 |
The latest annual report from the Gambling Commission relates to the 2021-2022 period. Again, this runs from April 1, 2021, through to March 31, 2022. Everything reported is visible in the table above for this timeframe.
In 2023, a report on the contributions between 2022 and 2023 should become available. For the time being, the most recent non-annual reports relate to Q1 and Q2 of that timeframe. Let’s take a look at each of those three-month periods.
In Q1 of 2022 – 2023, a total of £422.9 million was raised from The National Lottery. That stands out as being £68.4 million less (-13.9%) than Q4 of the previous year. Yet it is £2.2 million more (0.5%) than the lottery raised for the same quarter in 2021-2022.
The report suggests that the decrease in figures against Q4 of 2021-2022 is down to two issues. First, the total ticket sales decreased by £179.4 million (-8.7%). Reports suggest that all games saw a decline in their ticket sales. The only exception to that was the EuroMillions. The most notable decline was for Lotto ticket sales, which decreased by £83.5 million (-15.9%). Sales from scratchcards were also down by £69.4 million (-11.4%). The total unclaimed prizes added as returns were around £29 million less than Q4. Several scratchcard games were also closed in Q4, which is in line with the usual annual cycle.
Q2 of the 2022-23 period is the latest information on hand. Taking data from July through to September, the total raised for good causes stands at £501.8 million. That is an increase of £78.9 million (18.7%) on Q1’s takings. It is also an increase of £83.4 million (19.9%) on the same period in 2021-22. The increase in these figures is due to several reasons. Ticket sales went up by £266.7 million (14.1%) with all games experiencing an increase. The EuroMillions stood out in the most notable way, achieving a £140.7 (31.1%) million rise. This was likely due to the number of jackpot rollovers experienced in Q2. Total unclaimed prizes for that period were also £13.6 million more than the previous one.
What Good Causes Have Received Money?
It’s clear to see that a large amount of money has come from the lottery for good causes. The reports from the Gambling Commission confirm this.
Where does the money actually go? What are some of the projects and causes that have received funding? Let’s have a look at the different areas in the UK:
London
There are 21 projects that stand out as receiving lottery funding across the years. They include the following, amongst others:
- Fight for Peace – Working with young people in London to provide skills for the future and reduce levels of crime and violence.
- Shame Chorus – Giving voice to LGBTQ+ issues in collaboration with psychoanalyst Susie Orbach and the London Gay Men’s Chorus (which has a legacy all of its own).
- Woodberry Wetlands – An urban wetland oasis, rich in wildlife, created around a working reservoir.
- Resources for Autism – Running a range of practical services for people with autism.
- The Royal Opera House – Home to The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet, the venue has been transformed into a 21st-century venue.
- The Science Museum – The home of ingenuity in the UK, attracting more than 3 million visitors every year. Funding has helped the museum to evolve significantly.
- You Make It – A grassroots organisation offering business funding, workshops, work placements and more for women.
- English Heritage – Conserving the places where England’s history has been forged.
- Museum of Homelessness – Building the first national collection for homelessness in the UK.
Yorkshire & Humber
The country’s largest county, Yorkshire & The Humber has had many projects funded by the lottery. Here are some of them:
- Ignition Training – Teaching a range of motor vehicle maintenance skills to members of the community.
- Ruddi’s Retreat – Free respite holidays at the seaside for families affected by cancer, dementia, bereavement and life-limiting illness. The organisation received royal approval from Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, in 2021.
- Grimsby’s Lost Ships of WW1 – Telling the untold story of Grimsby’s heroic fishermen, who sailed out every day during the Great War.
- Sheffield Steelkings – A para ice hockey club allowing people with lower body disabilities or impairments to play the fast-paced, physical and highly skilled team sport.
- The Piece Hall – The Georgian Piece Hall in Halifax has been transformed to secure its future as an international cultural destination.
- The Tetley – The iconic home of brewing in Leeds. Funding has helped transform it into a spectacular centre for contemporary art.
- York Minster Revealed – A major, five-year project to restore and conserve the building with funding from The National Lottery.
West Midlands
The county created in 1974 has also had help from the lottery. Here are some of the organisations and charities benefitting from funding:
- Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust – Caring for some of the most important industrial heritage in the world.
- Suited for Success – Charity providing moral support and free second-hand suits and workwear for unemployed men and women.
- Rural Media Charity – Highlighting the importance of preserving and documenting the cultural heritage of an area of rural land.
- Fighting Fit – The Pat Benson Boxing Academy in Birmingham operates as an inclusive establishment, transforming the lives of people of all ages, with a positive impact.
- Sam and Emily Stables – A married couple who launched a charity supporting farmers experiencing mental health issues and isolation. This came about after Sam almost took his own life.
Scotland
Scotland is a country in its own right, but it still benefits from the UK’s National Lottery funding.
- Social Bite – A sandwich shop which puts every bit of profit it makes into supporting homeless people and tackling social problems.
- Bravehound – Matching dogs with veterans who suffer from PTSD.
- Vintage Vibes – Creating genuine, lasting relationships between lonely over-60s and volunteers.
- The Ecology Centre – Based in Fife, the centre offers environmental education, volunteering and training opportunities.
- Glasgow Gladiators – A disability sports club, providing people with the opportunity to play powerchair football and boccia.
- Baby Loss Retreat – Providing weekends away to bereaved mums and dads in Scotland.
- Amma Birth Companions – Glasgow charity providing care, information and advocacy to those facing barriers during pregnancy, birth and parenthood.
Wales
Another country in its own right, there are projects in Wales that have also benefitted from lottery funding.
- River and Sea Sense – Teaching water safety and CPR to young people and adults across Wales.
- Behind the Label – A creative project for those who have experienced homelessness and low self-esteem.
- Millennium Falcon Exhibition – Established in rural Wales in 2022 to tell the story of the building of a life-size Star Wars spacecraft in the 1970s.
- Forget-me-not Chorus – Leading charity, which organises weekly singing sessions for people with dementia.
- The Black Swimming Association – The first organisation to promote the education of communities of African, Caribbean and Asian heritage people on water safety, drowning prevention and the benefits of aquatics.
Northern Ireland
Even across the Irish Sea, you’ll find funding from The National Lottery doing good work.
- Young Shoulders – Supporting young people struggling with their parent’s cancer diagnosis.
- Lagan Dragons – The only dragon boat team in Northern Ireland for breast cancer survivors. It offers a fun and supportive way for members to feel physical and emotional strength.
- Brooke Park, Derry – Known as The People’s Park, this is a well-loved public space in the heart of Derry.
- Wheelchair Hurling – Offering the traditional Irish sport accessible to people in wheelchairs with dedicated coaches.
- Kelly Gallagher and Charlotte Evans – Gallagher is a British Paralympic skier who won Britain’s first-ever Winter paralympic gold medal with guide, Charlotte Evans.
- An Tobar – A community wellness centre and social farm in south Armagh, aiming to connect people with nature to improve health.