Cap on income means charities are losing out
Political leaders have joined leading charities calling for the cap on lotteries to be raised.
A new proposed fundraising limit has won widespread support, with more than 80 charity chiefs backing the call.
Now they have been joined by Scottish Conservative leader Ruth davidson and deputy first minister John Swinney.
The British Red Cross, NSPCC, Marine Conservation Society, War Child and Crisis have written a joint letter to the UK culture secretary, Jeremy Wright MP, urging him to press ahead with the changes to charity lottery laws.
A reportinto how the current £10 million limit is affecting small charities has found that thousands of small and local charities across Britain have missed out on funding worth £45m over the past two years due to the current caps. This included £7.7m worth of funding to over 640 projects in Scotland.
A £100m limit was laid out as the UK government’s “preferred option” in their public consultation last year, and is the level recommended by the official regulator, the Gambling Commission.
Speaking at a People’s Postcode Lottery event at Holyrood, Davidson revealed that she has now written to the culture secretary, calling on him to update the charity lottery annual sales limit.
She said: “Right now, the law limits the amount that charity lotteries can raise – which means People’s Postcode Lottery are stopped from increasing their help to voluntary organisations and projects nationwide.
“I want the law changed so more people can get help, which is why I’ve written to UK government colleagues urging them to lift the cap. People’s Postcode Lottery already does so much good, all it is asking is to be allowed to do more. They have my full support.”
John Swinney said the Scotish Government is right behind the campaign: “When I look through the range of organisations that are funded by People’s Postcode Lottery, I’m struck by the degree to which the organisation is taking a set of decisions that are really transforming the lives of individuals as a consequence of the strength of their financial support. That’s really welcome within Scotland today.
“I’ve seen within my own constituency the profound effect of the work of People’s Postcode Lottery, through the contribution made to Perth Autism which is an organisation I know very well and very personally. The investment of Peoples Postcode Lottery has enabled them to deliver support to young people with autism living in rural locations, which is not easy to do but People’s Postcode Lottery has made that happen.
“At a national and local level I can see the profound and beneficial impact of people’s Postcode Lottery and I’m very grateful for all you do in that respect.”
Clara Govier, manging director at People’s Postcode Lottery, added: “People’s Postcode Lottery was set up to raise funds for charities and good causes, but the current charity lottery laws result in charities losing out on millions of pounds. We want this to change."
