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Written question asked by Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party) on Monday, 6 July 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 8 July 2026. It was answered by Ian Murray (Labour) on Tuesday, 14 July 2026 on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

National Lottery: Grants

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the National Lottery on the potential merits of uplifting lottery grants that fund improvements to (a) churches and (b) historic buildings.

Answer

National Lottery funding for churches and historic buildings is primarily given via the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF). NLHF’s decision-making on grant funding is independent from DCMS.

The Department is working closely with funders in the sector to ensure that opportunities for funding places of worship throughout the UK are maximised. The NLHF already offers grants for places of worship across all the UK and is currently investing £100m over 3 years through National Lottery Heritage Grants and a strategic initiative designed to provide targeted support to build capacity.

On 1 July the UK Government launched a major call for evidence on lottery good causes funding, seeking views from people, organisations and communities across the country on future funding. This is currently live on GOV.UK and will close on 23 September 2026.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
15960
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Churches Grants Historic buildings National Lottery
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk