Year 1 Impact Report 2026

The Health Lottery Foundation was established in January 2025 to receive and award grant funding raised through The Health Lottery, directing 20% of every ticket sale to health-related causes across Great Britain. In its first year, £200,000 was awarded in a closed first round to 12 charities including FoodCycle, Support Dogs, Student Minds and The Brain Charity. The Foundation targets health inequalities — people in deprived areas die up to 13 years younger in Scotland and nine years in England than those in wealthier areas. A second open grant round is planned for mid-2026.

Report snapshot
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📋About

Grant-making for health and wellbeing projects across Great Britain (six themes); first round closed process (12 charities selected); second round open applications planned mid-2026; small community projects through to larger organisations eligible; lottery operation (draw tickets, online scratchcards — 20% to good causes, 34% prizes, 46% expenses); promotion of health causes and wellbeing stories Custom geography from upload: Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales)

📊Key Metrics

£200,000 distributed in first round of grants to 12 charities across Great Britain (2025); average annual proceeds from lotteries £14.5m with 20% of every ticket going to good causes Key Metric 1
First 12 charities funded include: CAST, Farms for City Children, Feeding Britain, FoodCycle, Phab, Sport in Mind, Student Minds, Support Dogs, Tapping House, The Brain Charity, Forest of Avon, The Royal Countryside Fund Key Metric 2
Support Dogs received £15,000 to fund an instructor working with 10 dogs on Disability Assistance Programme; Health Lottery Foundation operating from January 2025 (previously The Health Lottery operated as main structure); six themes for future grant rounds covering health and wellbeing across Great Britain Key Metric 3

Key Outcomes

  • Health Lottery Foundation officially established January 2025 — previously The Health Lottery funded good causes directly; 12 inaugural grantees represent a diverse mix of health causes across disability, food poverty, mental health, animal-assisted therapy and outdoor learning
  • People in England's most disadvantaged areas die on average nine years younger than those in wealthiest areas; in Scotland the gap is 13 years; Foundation targets this inequality; Promoter: Delva Patman, Chief Executive
  • PDF report blocked (403); data from charity website, Charity Times and Health Lottery website; licensed by Gambling Commission; full charitable status — receives grant applications and awards funding; second year grant round notifications expected July 2026; PO BOX 8109, Daventry, NN11 1JA

📍Geography

UK-Wide

2025 Enhanced

Annual Review April 2024 to March 2025

Social care services provided to thousands of people with learning disabilities; information and advice service caseloads growing in complexity; financial resilience rebuilt ahead of NI cost pressures
Key Metric 1
Omaze Yorkshire House Draw partnership raised £3.9m in 6 weeks with Jodie Whittaker as ambassador; awareness of people with learning disability significantly boosted through campaign
Key Metric 2
Voices Council (led by people with learning disabilities) challenged decisions on service handbacks, agency staffing and benefits access; new strategy to 2030 under development; new CEO Jon Sparkes OBE joined June 2024
Key Metric 3
Rebuilt financial resilience ahead of NI cost increases — 'more fortunate than many in the sector'; 80th anniversary approaching; new CEO appointed to lead strategy development
2024 Enhanced

Annual Report and Accounts 2024

518 new guide dog partnerships created in 2024 — 10% increase beating projections; 1,379 new puppies from breeding programme; 400th buddy dog partnership matched
Key Metric 1
17,500+ volunteers giving 12 million+ volunteer hours collectively; 2,400+ volunteers looked after dogs; 7,000+ training sessions on tech, travel and life skills delivered by Vision Rehabilitation Specialists
Key Metric 2
£47m raised through Sponsor a Puppy; £3.1m from raffles; £8.3m increased income from gifts in Wills; 3.45 million clicks to digital information and advice content; 5,900 visits to new Tech Selector assistive tech review tool
Key Metric 3
1,864 children and family members attended My Time to Play sessions; 6,852 large-print books delivered; 5,991 habilitation sessions completed to help children learn essential skills; 432,817 online learners accessing digital content
2025 Enhanced

Annual Report 2024-25

202,694 people supported across 270 locations; 74,070 in drug and alcohol; 102,531 in mental health; 1,035 in learning disability; turnover £191.9m
Key Metric 1
96% of regulated services rated Good or Outstanding by CQC; 12,456 naloxone kits dispensed (5.6% increase); 11,405 Hepatitis C tests (59% increase); 7,448 FibroScans (300% increase)
Key Metric 2
234 peer mentors; 82 volunteers; 5,194 colleagues (60% with lived experience); £7.79m invested in local VCSE organisations; £131.87m social value from local employment
Key Metric 3
87% of people supported have overall positive experience; 90% feel safe; 774/1,063 (72%) in Birmingham social prescribing service achieved goals across health, community, emotional and employment domains; new Lincolnshire Recovery Partnership reached over 160 staff in year one