National Lottery under fire over £143m funding for ‘left-wing pro-migrant’ charities

The National Lottery has come under fire for its £143million of donations to migrant charities since 1994, including substantial sums being donated to organisations described by critics as "left-wing pro-migration pressure groups". The figure, published by National Lottery Good Causes, covers more than 2,500 projects and organisations across the UK. The Lottery says the money has helped organisations supporting refugees with everything, from accommodation and integration to advice and community projects. On its website, it states: "Thanks to National Lottery players, over 2,500 projects and organisations have collectively received more than £143million of National Lottery funding to support refugees since 1994." TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say A recent separate analysis of the Lottery's published grant records claims that more than £114million was awarded across 1,694 grants linked to refugees, asylum seekers or migration in just five years. Among the organisations receiving substantial amounts of National Lottery Community Fund money are some of Britain's best-known refugee organisations. Publicly available grant records compiled by 360Giving show Refugee Action has received £5.8million in National Lottery Community Fund grants across 11 recorded grants. GB News has revealed a blog post from its own website described the asylum system as a "hostile environment" that "cannot be reformed, so we must work with partners to demolish it, transform the asylum system and build a future rooted in the fundamental right to move, underpinned by a commitment to anti-racism". It goes on to say: "It's time we all recognised just how rooted [the asylum system] is in colonialism and the ashes of Empire. Then and only then can we create a just and welcoming system." Its campaigns include demands for changes to the UK's asylum system, including campaigning for migrants to be granted the right to work and opposition to numerous government asylum policies. Meanwhile, the Refugee Council has received almost £10million in National Lottery Community Fund grants, according to 360Giving's publicly available grant records, which record 12 grants to the organisation. In January 2025, the Refugee Council called for the Government to introduce 10,000 refugee visas every year to allow people to travel legally to the UK rather than illegally crossing the Channel. It also previously called for the Rwanda plan to be scrapped as well as drastically expanding migrant family reunions. The Scottish Refugee Council has received more than £4.8million in National Lottery Community Fund grants, according to 360Giving's records, across nine grants. It describes itself as “Scotland’s national refugee charity” which provides “direct support and advice services, promote community integration, stand up for refugee rights and campaign for a fairer, more humane asylum system". It also says: "We believe that everyone seeking safety should receive the same warm welcome and respect, no matter where they’re from or how they arrived." "GB News has revealed the charity’s ‘Afghan Citizen's Information Service’ which provided Afghan migrants who came to the UK under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme with Pashto services including advising them on how to find mosques and halal food." Earlier this year, the Scottish Refugee Council also called on all Scottish politicians to sign a pledge to "detoxify" the immigration debate. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: Sudanese migrant allowed to stay in Britain and cannot be deported because she married her cousin Shabana Mahmood urged to 'press ahead' with migration crackdown Labour MP defends ‘anti-rape' guidance being handed to asylum seekers: ‘Why shouldn’t we do it?’ Together, the three organisations have received more than £20.5million in recorded National Lottery Community Fund grants. The figures raise questions about the extent to which National Lottery good-cause funding is being directed towards organisations which are not only supporting refugees but also actively campaigning for changes to Britain's asylum and immigration system. Deputy Online Editor of the Critic and Senior Fellow at the Centre for Migration Control Tom Jones said: "Imagine buying a Lottery ticket to support good causes, only to discover that millions of pounds have been channelled into organisations whose activities make it harder for governments to control immigration, despite the fact you’ve voted consistently in favour of just that. "For years, these pro-migration pressure groups have campaigned to change the asylum system while enjoying the tax and reputational privileges of being charities. "The charity commission ought to change its rules to prohibit this sort of politicised campaigning." Historian Rafe Heydel-Mankoo said: "Ordinary Britons buying lottery tickets are unlikely to be aware they are bankrolling left-wing activist charities that campaign against much-needed border and immigration controls. "The National Lottery is supposed to fund causes that improve Britain. By giving money to pro-asylum activists and lobbyists it is doing precisely the opposite." The Charity Commission’s website states: "Charities can take part in political activity that supports their purpose and is in their best interests. "There may be situations where carrying out political activity is the best way for trustees to support their charity’s purpose." It goes on to clarify that charities “must not give their support to a political party". There is no suggestion that these charities are failing to act in accordance with charity law. A spokesman for The National Lottery Community Fund said: "The National Lottery Community Fund supports projects in all communities across the UK to help people thrive, to strengthen communities and to improve lives. "Many of the organisations we fund do campaign on issues that are important to them, but we do not fund political campaigns or activities. "All requests for funding are assessed against rigorous criteria." Meanwhile, Imran Hussain, Director of External Affairs at the Refugee Council, said: "Since it was created in the aftermath of the Second World War, the Refugee Council has worked with successive governments to ensure victims of war, torture and persecution are helped to integrate into communities and play their part in Britain, as refugees have done for generations. "We have also challenged governments of all parties to create a fair and orderly asylum system. "We believe restoring public confidence in the asylum system requires fair and fast decisions, so those recognised as refugees can be helped to integrate, and those with no right to stay can be helped to return." A Refugee Action spokesman said: "Refugee Action is a non-political organisation that is strictly regulated by the Charity Commission, providing humanitarian aid to people who have fled war and persecution. "As a charity we are driven by the needs of our beneficiaries, which means we work across ideological divides. "For example, our call to give people seeking asylum the right to work has been backed by an organisation* that is funded by the owners of GB News. "People have a legal right to claim asylum and this right is not affected by how they have crossed a border. There is no evidence people claim asylum here due to charitable support." GB News has contacted the Scottish Refugee Council for comment. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter