English charities and organisations supporting communities bearing the brunt of the cost-of-living pressures are being given access to vital support from The National Lottery – as new research announced this week shows people across the country are predicting mounting difficulties for local services due to the impact of the current economic pressures.

Thanks to The National Lottery players, thousands of projects throughout the UK are being supported to keep vital local facilities and services running this winter, with the money helping some of the most vulnerable people impacted by the cost-of-living pressures in our communities.

National Lottery funding distributors (encompassing sports, arts, heritage, and community) collectively awarded over £1 billion pounds to support communities throughout the UK during the Coronavirus pandemic, to help them cope and recover. Now the £30 million raised each week by National Lottery players for good causes is at the forefront in supporting communities who need it the most during the cost-of-living pressures.

And new figures released this week through The National Lottery Community Fund’s latest **Community Research Index shows that over half of UK adults (55 per cent) believe that supporting people with the rising cost-of-living is most important for the wellbeing of their local community, with almost exactly one in two (49 per cent) intending to volunteer in 2023 with young people (18 to 24) leading the way (69 per cent).

Organisations throughout England facing increased demands, challenges, and hardships as a direct result of the crisis are being supported in various ways, as National Lottery funders have responded with new priorities to help communities with an approach that centres around flexibility and support.

Many existing funding programmes have been adapted or tailored by National Lottery funders to prioritise cost of living support. The National Lottery Community Fund alone is making an initial £75 million available UK wide to help those most in need – providing community groups with greater certainty at this critical time. All funding will be kept open and available, and ready to adapt, as part of its We’re Here for You commitment.

Whether it’s funding to improve the thermal efficiency of heritage sites, providing energy efficient floodlights for community sports clubs faced with the burden of increased costs, providing thousands of free hot meals and food parcels, warm places for the community to come together during the winter months, or supporting with money management and mental health initiatives – The National Lottery is making life that little bit easier by providing a wide array of support across sports, arts, community and charity, heritage, education, environment, and sports sectors during these challenging times. 

One such project receiving much-needed support is Staffordshire North and Stoke-on-Trent Citizens' Advice Bureau (SNSCAB), who have been able to continue delivering their Potteries Moneywise (PMW) financial capabilities project and support vulnerable communities in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Biddulph and Stoke-on-Trent with proactively managing finances and debt. 

Further support from The National Lottery has helped the project reach survivors of domestic abuse, minority ethnic communities, young people and those with learning disabilities. 

One-to-one advice either is available in-person or over the telephone, with training packages also on offer to help people manage their money better.  

And a single parent from Staffordshire admits she has only been able to remain in her house with her daughter thanks to the crucial support.

The anonymous service user, who discovered the scheme via Facebook, said: “I did not have had any electric for when my little girl came home from school.

“Potteries Moneywise have shared some helpful information and I feel a lot less worried now.

“Thanks to their support, my daughter and I can go home tonight instead of to my Mum’s.”

Another English project to benefit is the Footprint Trust (TFT) in the Isle of Wight, who work to reduce the island’s ecological footprint and with households to help people in fuel poverty stay warm, well and out of debt, by raising awareness regarding more efficient use of energy.

Highlighting the importance of the support from The National Lottery, David Knott, the Chief Executive of The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, we are here to support communities through good times and bad. The money they raise provides much-needed funding to incredible organisations that are making an important difference to people’s lives. This now includes helping people in a range of ways as they deal with the impact of the rising cost of living.

“In these challenging times, National Lottery funding takes on even greater significance and our message to communities, groups and volunteers working tirelessly throughout the UK is that we are here for you, and we will continue to listen and be flexible and responsive to the challenges and pressures you are facing.” 

The National Lottery Community Fund is the largest funder of community activity in the UK and supports people and communities to thrive.

National Lottery players raise more than £30 million a week for arts, education, environment, health, heritage, sport, and voluntary projects across the UK; see the difference it’s making near you at www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk

** NB: Research conducted on behalf of The National Lottery Community Fund by Savanta ComRes between 2nd and 28th November 2022, amongst 8,968 UK adults weighted to be representative of UK adults by gender, age, region, social grade and ethnicity. 8,059 UK adults were previously surveyed between 7th and 22nd September 2021 and 7,009 UK adults were interviewed between 27th November and 8th December 2020.