Last updated: 22 July 2026

This afternoon (1 July 2026) the UK government announced what’s known as a ‘call for evidence’. It’s seeking people’s views on what should be funded with money raised for good causes by National Lottery players.

National Lottery Good Causes: Fund what matters to you will be open for 12 weeks and aims to understand the priorities and needs of people and communities across the UK.

It’s a valuable opportunity to celebrate the impact of National Lottery funding, including for the UK’s heritage. You can share your opinions and experiences via the online survey as an individual or on behalf of your organisation. 

Funding for everyone and every place across the UK

Did you know that since 1994, National Lottery players have raised over £53billion for good causes? 

We’ve been able to distribute £9.2billion of that to 48,900 heritage projects large and small – that’s the equivalent of £133 invested in heritage for every person in the UK. From protecting the natural environment, supporting museums and collections, to saving historic buildings and our industrial legacy, and preserving local traditions and stories – good causes funding for heritage has had an incredible impact on people and communities in every postcode area in the UK.

Explore these projects and find out what we’ve funded in your area or your favourite part of the heritage sector in the Projects we’ve funded section of our website. 

Working with you to protect and preserve your heritage

We welcome the opportunity to contribute to this call for evidence and encourage you to get involved too. The UK government’s objectives – to fund what matters to people, empower communities to make decisions and simplify access to funding – reflect our own commitment to enable people and communities to protect and preserve the things from the past that they value and want to pass onto future generations. 

Simon Thurley, Chair of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, we are able to work with communities across the UK, funding long-term, ambitious, locally led projects that build pride in place and deliver lasting change. From our critical investment into beautiful landscapes like the Cairngorms and the Shropshire Hills, to our support for the transformation of towns and cities across the UK, to investments like the Manchester Museum, the Grimsby Youth project, St Fagans Museum in Wales and St George’s Market in Belfast, we know how funding for heritage brings communities together to celebrate and preserve the past while also driving regeneration, supporting nature recovery and creating skills and opportunities.  

“This call for evidence offers the opportunity to hear first-hand from the public about what is important to them about what National Lottery funding supports, as well as all those involved in awarding and investing funding on how we can do this in the best way possible. 

“We will work with our partners to ensure our funding continues to make a positive impact and that we make our funding decisions with strong insight on what matters most to local communities.” 

Share your opinions and experiences

Find out more and have your say in the National Lottery Good Causes: Fund what matters to you call for evidence. Submissions are open until midday on 23 September 2026.