Statistics and research release
National Lottery funds payable to good causes 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023 – Annual Report: Official statistics
Funds payable to the National Lottery Distribution Fund (NLDF) for the financial year and versus last financial year. Reporting period: Financial year 2022 to 2023 (1 April to 31 March).
Summary
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Since its launch in November 1994, the National Lottery has raised over £47 billion for good causes that include sports (including Olympic athletes), arts and heritage, as well as health, education and the environment.
Funds are raised from the sale of National Lottery games and supplemented by unclaimed prizes and interest on balances of funds held.
The funds for good causes are held in the National Lottery Distribution Fund (NLDF), with the Gambling Commission ensuring that payments from the Lottery operator to the good causes are accurate and on time.
Details
Payments to the NLDF for the financial year differ to the total returns reported in the operator’s statutory accounts due to:
- timing differences between amounts due and payable
- a number of adjustments which are only reflected in the NLDF payments figure, such as investments under Condition 23 of the Section 5 Licence.
The following table reconciles the Basic Primary Contribution due from sales to funds payable to good causes.1
| Data definitions | 2022 to 2023 £ millions |
2021 to 2022 £ millions |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Primary Contribution | 1,793.4 | 1,801.3 |
| Investments under Condition 23 of Section 5 Licence2 | -71.9 | -71.6 |
| Other adjustments under the Section 5 Licence3 | -12.5 | -14.3 |
| Primary Contribution payable to good causes | 1,709.0 | 1,715.4 |
| Unclaimed prizes | 70.5 | 111.2 |
| Interest from Trust Account | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Other miscellaneous payments4 | 11.7 | 12.2 |
| Total funds payable to good causes | 1,791.2 | 1,838.8 |
The following table shows the funds payable to good causes as reported by quarter:
| Data definitions | 2022 to 2023 £ millions |
2021 to 2022 £ millions |
|---|---|---|
| Quarter 1 | 422.9 | 420.7 |
| Quarter 2 | 501.8 | 418.4 |
| Quarter 3 | 434.1 | 508.5 |
| Quarter 4 | 432.5 | 491.3 |
| Total funds payable to good causes | 1,791.2 | 1,838.8 |
Notes
1Payments to the National Lottery Distribution Fund (NLDF).
2 Amounts drawn down in the financial year.
3 Includes permitted Value-Added Tax (VAT) recovery, funding for the National Lottery Promotions Unit (NLPU), interest received on primary contributions and recovery of interest charges on EuroMillions funds held in Trust.
4 Includes secondary contributions, payments for lost and stolen scratchcards, financial penalties and ancillary activities.
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