On the #63

Postcode Lottery Rabbit Hole

Recently, I published about Postcode Lottery’s short deadlines and the pressure they create for applicants. A few people commented positively about their experiences: they said the application forms are well-designed, that compared to the previous “fastest-fingers-first” rounds that these changes to the process were welcomed, and that they see Postcode Lottery as good funders overall. I appreciate that feedback, I fell down a rabbit-hole nevertheless.

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Criteria

There was a change to their Funding Guide in August 2025, since then there have been 2 rounds.

Their main activities must focus on one of four funding themes:

• Preventing or reducing the impact of poverty

• Enabling participation in the arts

• Supporting marginalised groups and/or tackling inequality

• Improving mental health

When heavily oversubscribed, they use their funding priorities to help with decision-making. Their priorities include:

• Having an income of £250,000 or below

• Working in communities located in the top 15% of the English Index of Multiple Deprivation

• Organisations whose main activities focus on supporting marginalised groups (including, but not limited to, disabled people, communities experiencing racial inequity, and LGBT+ people)

• Being in areas that have not recently received funding

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Success Rates

Postcode Society Trust – South

• Round 1, 2025 – success rate 18%

• Round 2, 2025 – success rate 14%

• Round 3, 2025 – success rate 9%

• Round 1, 2026 – success rate 5%

Postcode Local Trust – West

• Round 1, 2025 – success rate 21%

• Round 2, 2025 – success rate 23%

• Round 3, 2025 – success rate 8%

• Round 1, 2026 – success rate 8%

Postcode Neighbourhood Trust – North

• Round 1, 2025 – success rate 15%

• Round 2, 2025 – success rate 15%

• Round 1, 2026 – success rate 6%

Postcode Places Trust – East

• Round 1, 2025 – success rate 20%

• Round 2, 2025 – success rate 21%

• Round 1, 2026 – success rate 9%

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Ineligibility Rate

Postcode Society Trust

• 2026, Round 1 – 8.0% ineligible

• 2025, Round 3 – 18.0% ineligible

• 2025, Round 2 – 8.0% ineligible

• 2025, Round 1 – 7.1% ineligible

Postcode Local Trust

• 2026, Round 1 – 11.1% ineligible

• 2025, Round 3 – 20.1% ineligible

• 2025, Round 2 – 5.9% ineligible

• 2025, Round 1 – 7.1% ineligible

Postcode Neighbourhood Trust

• 2026, Round 1 – 13.0% ineligible

• 2025, Round 2 – 7.0% ineligible

• 2025, Round 1 – 8.8% ineligible

Postcode Places Trust

• 2026, Round 1 – 12.6% ineligible

• 2025, Round 2 – 5.1% ineligible

• 2025, Round 1 – 11.8% ineligible

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Due Diligence

In January 2026, all the Postcode trusts published a “Due Diligence Focus” update, highlighting that many applications fail. Common issues included;

• missing account breakdowns,

• missing examiner reports,

• income figures that don’t match,

• trustee structures that don’t meet requirements,

• incorrect or outdated governing documents, and

• late account filings.

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Raw Data

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