Lloyds Banking Group and Foundations Launch £4.2 Million Fund to Boost Financial Resilience Through UK Charities

Lloyds Banking Group and Foundations Launch £4.2 Million Fund to Boost Financial Resilience Through UK Charities

(IN BRIEF) Lloyds Banking Group and its four charitable Foundations have introduced a £4.2 million Financial Resilience fund to reinforce UK charities supporting financially vulnerable individuals. Research shows 4.3 million people turned to charities for help in the last three years, with stigma deterring over half from seeking assistance. The fund, distributed via the four Foundations, will grant 57 awards over 2–3 years for two support streams: targeted debt and distress relief (‘Overcoming Setbacks’) and general financial education (‘Establishing a Foothold’). Awardees gain access to Lloyds Banking Group’s Academy and staff mentorship. Early funding to WODIN in Liverpool demonstrates the model’s impact in delivering digital training, crisis support, and practical financial systems to boost charity resilience and client outcomes.

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 10-Jul-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Lloyds Banking Group and its four charitable Foundations today launched a new joint Financial Resilience fund, making £4.2 million available to UK charities over the next 2–3 years. This initiative aims to empower financially vulnerable individuals by boosting their confidence and skills to manage money, reduce debt reliance, and secure long-term stability.

New research from Lloyds Banking Group and the Foundations reveals that 4.3 million people have sought financial aid from UK charities in the past three years, with over half (51%) reporting embarrassment as a barrier to seeking help. Charities rank as the second most trusted advice source after family, and 90% of those who received charity support feel more financially secure.

The fund will be administered by the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales, Lloyds Bank Foundation for the Channel Islands, Bank of Scotland Foundation, and Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland. Together, they will award 57 grants to organisations offering two types of support: ‘Overcoming Setbacks’—targeted assistance for individuals facing debt or financial distress—and ‘Establishing a Foothold’—general financial education and guidance. Funding recipients will also access Lloyds Banking Group’s Academy resources and benefit from mentorship by skilled staff.

Sir Robin Budenberg, Chair of Lloyds Banking Group, said: “Our four Foundations have championed grassroots charities for 40 years, and this £4.2 million fund represents our ongoing commitment to strengthening financial resilience within communities.” Matt Hyde OBE, CEO of the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales, added: “By combining funding with practical support and partnership, we can help small charities do even more for those in greatest need.”

One early beneficiary, WODIN (Women and Digital Inclusion) in Liverpool, received a £75,000 grant to deliver digital skills training and wrap-around support to migrant women. In 18 months, WODIN has assisted 47 women into work, supported 185 families in crisis, and distributed over 1,900 food parcels. Lloyds Banking Group colleagues further enhanced WODIN’s impact by volunteering to build a tailored Excel cash-flow system, enabling the charity to make strategic financial decisions with confidence.

About Lloyds Banking Group

Lloyds Banking Group is the largest UK retail and commercial financial services provider with around 27 million customers and a presence in nearly every community. We are proud to support British businesses, with nearing one million UK businesses supported by our leading digital and relationship banking services. Our main business activities include retail and commercial banking, general insurance and long-term savings, provided through well recognised brands including Lloyds, Halifax, Bank of Scotland and Scottish Widows.

Our purpose is Helping Britain Prosper. We have served Britain through our products and services for more than 320 years, across every community, and millions of households. Our success is interwoven with the UK’s prosperity, and we aim to help Britain prosper by operating as a responsible, sustainable and inclusive Group.

About the Foundations

Over the last 40 years, Lloyds Banking Group has donated £800 million to its charitable Foundations, who have supported nearly 70,000 charities across the UK and Channel Islands.

Joint research commissioned by:

o Lloyds Banking Group

o Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales

o Lloyds Bank Foundation for the Channel Islands

o Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland

o Bank of Scotland Foundation

Sourcing

Foundations Research, Gusto Research, April 2025

Societal Wellbeing Segmentation Research, Gusto Research, October 2023

Methodology section for Foundations research

Consumer survey

This research was undertaken by Gusto Research for Lloyds Banking Group. Gusto Research conducted a survey with an online sample of 900 UK adults 18+ between 25th March and 8th April 2025 and a telephone sample of 100 UK low or no digital usage adults 18+ between 4th and 14th April 2025. All were potentially low financial resilient with less than 3 months of essential spend saved, and a household income of less than £50,000. Quotas applied: 50% of the sample had used a charity in the last 3 years when facing financial challenges and 50% not to have used a charity in the last 3 years.

Charities survey

This research was undertaken by Gusto Research for Lloyds Banking Group. Gusto Research conducted a survey with a telephone sample of 200 small charities with an income of less than £500,000 who provide support for individuals’ financial wellbeing between 24th March and 17th April 2025.

Consumer survey on nationally representative sample

This research was undertaken by Gusto Research/Yonder for Lloyds Banking Group. Gusto Research/Yonder conducted a survey with an online sample of 2091 UK adults 18+ between 4th and 5th June 2025. Data is weighted to be representative of the population of the UK. Targets for quotas and weights are taken from the latest ONS Census data (2021/22) and the PAMCO survey, a random probability F2F survey conducted annually with 35,000 adults. Yonder is a founding member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. For further information see http://www.britishpollingcouncil.org/

Media Contact:

Olwen Jones-Lowe
olwen.jones-lowe@lloydsbanking.com

SOURCE: Lloyds Bank plc