Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what percentage of the National Heritage Lottery Fund’s grants were awarded to local churches, chapels and meeting houses open for worship, excluding cathedrals, in financial years (a) 2017-18, (b) 2018-19, (c) 2019-20, (d) 2020-21, (e) 2021-22 and (f) 2022-23.

The UK’s places of worship are a major recipient of funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Churches of various sizes and denominations have benefited from National Lottery investment, ensuring that those who care for them can continue to share the significant and cherished heritage they represent with local residents and visitors alike.

In 2017–18, 13% of National Lottery Heritage Funding was awarded to local churches, chapels, and meeting-houses excluding cathedrals. In 2018–19, 15% of funding was awarded in this way. In 2019–20, 9% of funding was awarded in this way. In 2020–21, 5% of funding was awarded in this way. In 2021–22, 8% of funding was awarded in this way. In 2022–23, 8% of funding was awarded in this way.