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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will publish guidance for charities on preparations of a future TNLCF application process.

Government announced a £750m civil society support package on 8 April. In addition to the £360m funding being distributed by central Government Departments, part of this package will include an open fund for charities and social enterprises working with vulnerable people affected by the crisis in England. This will be provided through the National Lottery Community Fund.

DCMS is working at pace with NLCF to finalise the details for this fund and we expect the application system for this fund to be operational shortly. Supporting information such as guidance will be provided for the application process. We want the funding to be distributed as quickly as possible while ensuring that it goes to those charities which are best equipped to use it to contribute to the Covid-19 response. An announcement will follow shortly.