Leaders warn of severe impact if Big Lottery Fund cuts go ahead

Umbrella groups have warned of a hugely damaging outcome for the sector if fears over a planned raid on the Big Lottery Fund are realised.

NCVO and Acevo are warning of plans to reduce National Lottery’s contribution to the Big Lottery Fund to compensate for cuts to the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport budget. The mooted move would see a £320m cut to the Big Lottery Fund, the groups say.

Such a move would see Big Lottery Fund’s share of National Lottery funding fall from 40 per cent to 22 per cent.

Fears over cuts to the Big Lottery Fund were initially raised by anonymous group Save Big Lottery. The group has since been campaigning via social media to raise awareness.

Acevo and NCVO say the Government has been unable to deny the plans.

NCVO chief executive Sir Stuart Etherington said Big Lottery Fund is the largest single funder of charities in the UK, with a huge number of small grants issued to local charities each year adding enormous value to communities.

“The Lottery was founded and has always operated on the principle that it adds to rather than replaces public funding. This would be a clear breach of that principle. It would be hugely damaging to the Lottery if players saw it as financing a government slush fund to compensate for spending cuts. This feels a very long way from the Big Society at a time when we need it more than ever.”

Acevo chief executive Sir Stephen Bubb said cutting Big Lottery Fund’s allocation would be “catastrophic”. Bubb said the move would undermine small community charities and organisations, impacting “already hard-pressed” communities and vulnerable groups.

“Few communities in the UK have not benefited from lottery good cause money. It is hard to believe that David Cameron would endorse a decision which would fall so heavily upon the most needy.”

Charities and community groups are being urged to call or email local MPs and stress the importance of Big Lottery Funds in their area. NCVO has launched a data tool to show the contribution the funds make in each constituency.