So we were keen to find out which local causes stand to benefit from The Health Lottery.
Mktg: I live in Hackney and want to know which local causes benefit from The Health Lottery.
Health Lottery: If you look on the internet, it states the good causes in that area for that week. I can check now - oh, right, that doesn't appear to be up there at the moment. Bear with me a moment (puts Mktg on hold for two minutes). Thanks for holding. If you go on the People's Health Trust website, it gives a list of the 51 causes we work with. It's the Health Promote one that covers Hackney.
Mktg: What's the top prize?
HL: Up to £100,000. The reason we have to say 'up to' is because it is based on the number of prize-winners. If the amount of prizes we give out reaches the £15m mark, you are looking at the top prize being a little less.
Mktg: I can win more with the National Lottery, can't I?
HL: You can, but if there are multiple National Lottery winners with five numbers, you pick up less than £100,000. If you get three numbers with us, you get £50, compared with £10 with the National Lottery.
Mktg: I've heard a smaller proportion of your ticket price goes to charity compared with the National Lottery.
HL: We give 20p (out of £1). Reports say they give 24p-25p, but they give only about 18p. The difference does not go to charity; I think it's VAT or something. We give more to good causes.
Mktg: Does having two lotteries deprive the National Lottery's charities of money?
HL: We are not trying to take anything from anybody. With the National Lottery, you are giving to charity, and with ours, you are giving to local causes.
Mktg: Thanks for your help.
VERDICT
Although polite and willing to help, the call-handler had not been briefed properly. He gave the impression that he was making up the figures. We felt misled about which lottery gave more to charity and which local organisations would benefit.
SCORE: 4/10