Frequently asked questions

You can always get in touch with us, but before you do, have a look and see if your question is answered here.

How The Health Lottery works

Playing The Health Lottery

Your online account

Playcards 

Promotions  

How the Health Lottery Works

Is The Health Lottery in any way related to the National Lottery?

No, the health lottery is not a national lottery. The Health Lottery is a totally independent lottery scheme. We’re in no way affiliated to The National Lottery.

How does the Health Lottery work?

Each week one or more different society lotteries take part in the lottery draw. They then donate money raised through their lottery to health related good causes within their respective communities, working with them to prioritise needs. Running things this way means every single part of Great Britain gets an appropriate share of the monies raised. No matter where you live, you will be able to see the society lotteries making a difference.

20p in every £1 goes to support local health related good causes.

How much can I win?

Our prize structure is simple. No roll-overs. No shared jackpots.

Match any 3 numbers and win £50

Match any 4 numbers and win £500

Match all 5 numbers and win up to £100,000

How much is donated to good causes?

20p of every £1 played is donated to health-related good causes across Great Britain.

Where does the money go?

The aim of the Health Lottery is to raise money for health related good causes across Great Britain.

Health Lottery money is available to local initiatives that help people to lead longer, healthier lives. The Health Lottery doesn’t fund services covered by existing NHS funding, and those causes that do benefit are chosen by local people in association with our partner charity the Peoples Health Trust.

The sorts of project that receive funding include support for older people to keep fit and help avoid vascular dementia, respite programmes giving young carers a much needed break, and community healthy-living initiatives, which help people reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and cancer. [top]

Playing the Health Lottery

Where can I buy a ticket? 

You can either buy your ticket online or over the counter at a Health Lottery retailer.

To buy online you’ll first need to open a Health Lottery account.

To buy over the counter, just visit your nearest Health Lottery retailer. Use our retailer search to find out where it is.

How do I buy a ticket online?

You will need to open a Health Lottery online account. Then just choose your 5 numbers and the dates you want to play. Simple!

Can I play if I’m outside Great Britain?

To open an online account you do need to have a GB bank account and a GB address. Game rules 5.2 iii (c) clearly states that Players may not purchase a Play or set up a Direct Debit when physically located outside Great Britain.

Where can I check the draw results?

You can check them on TV, online, visit a Health Lottery retailer, and the winning numbers will be printed in the Sunday papers or The Health Lottery customer helpline on 0844 375 55 55.

The draw will be shown every Saturday night on channel 5.

And of course you can check the results online at www.healthlottery.co.uk, as well as on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

How will I know if I’ve won a prize?

If you have played online we’ll send you an email asking you to sign in and check your account. When you do, select the Your lottery history section, where you’ll find details of any winning tickets you’ve bought online.

If you’ve purchased a ticket from a Health Lottery retailer you can check if you’ve won by checking the results online or in the Sunday papers, watching the TV draw,  or by taking  your ticket to a Health Lottery retailer and ask them to check it for you.

How can I claim my winnings?

If you’ve played online and matched 3 or 4 numbers we’ll credit the prize money to your online account. If you’ve won the top prize  please call The Health Lottery helpline on 0844 375 55 55.

If you’ve played in store and matched any 3 numbers just grab your winning ticket (you can’t collect your prize without it) and head to any Health Lottery retailer. All our retailers are authorised to pay out £50 prizes.

For prizes over £50 you’ll need to ring the Health Lottery Helpline on 0844 375 55 55. Health Lottery retailers can’t pay out prizes in excess of £50, but they can check your ticket to see if you’re a winner. It will take between 7-10 working days from us receiving the claim form and ticket for the prize to be paid into your account.

Top prize winners should call the Health Lottery helpline on 0844 375 55 55. £100,000 makes a difference, which is why our Winner Advisers are on hand to support you. They’ll help with you arrangements to collect your prize, advice about security, publicity and anything else you need to know.  [top]

Your Health Lotttery account

How do I register for a Health Lottery online account?

Click the Sign up link, visible at the top of every page  www.healthlottery.co.uk, then just follow the instructions.

To open your online account you need to have a GB bank account and a GB address. Once you’ve registered you’ll be able to play online, save your numbers and set up a direct debit so you never miss a draw.

I’ve forgotten my account username and/or password. What do I do?

Your username is always the email address you used to signed up for your Health Lottery account.

If you can’t remember your password click the Forgotten your password? link at the very top of the page, enter your email address, and we’ll send you a secure link so you can set a new password.

How do I change my debit card details?

Log in to your Health Lottery account, and go the Your Account section. Click on Manage your debit card and you’ll be able to add the new details. 

You can only change these details online if your debit card has expired. If you want to change your card details for any other reason please call The Health Lottery helpline on 0844 375 55 55.

You can also sign in to your Health Lottery account and go to the games history section to see the details of all your online purchases.

How do I change my address online?

Sign in to your Health Lottery account and go to the Your account section. Select Your details, and update the form with your new address.

How do I transfer or remove funds?

Sign in to your Health Lottery account and go to the Your account section. Select Withdraw funds and follow the instructions. For security, you’ll need to enter your password. The withdrawal will be processed to your debit card.

How long after I withdraw from my online account does it take to transfer funds into my bank account?

It can take up to 5 working days for the money to be credited to your bank account, although we do submit the transaction straight away.

Can I view my ticket details if I play online?

Yes. After you buy your ticket online you should receive an email confirming your chosen numbers and the local society lotteries taking part in the draws you’ve entered.

Can I cancel a ticket I bought online?

No. Once you buy your ticket you can’t cancel it, so it’s important to check all the details before you commit to the final click. [top]

Playcards

How do I store my numbers on my playcard?

You add your numbers when you activate your play card. There’s a few easy ways to do this. Your retailer can do it for you. You can do it by texting the 11 digit card number to 63450. You can ring the Health Lottery helpline on 0844 375 55 55. Or you can store your numbers on your playcard online.

What happens if I Iose my playcard?

You can just pick up a new one from your local Health Lottery retailer. Playcards don’t store any personal information and have no cash value. They’re just a convenient way of saving your favourite numbers.

What information is stored on my playcard?

Don’t worry. No personal information is stored on your playcard. Only your favourite numbers making it quick and easy to play The Health Lottery in store. [top]

Bigger Prize Promotion

How does the bigger prizes promotion work?

Sometimes, just for fun, we double the top prize. That means if you match any 5 numbers, you win up to £250,000. That’s huge! Just buy your Health Lottery ticket as usual from your local Health Lottery retailer or online.

How do I claim my prize for bigger prizes?

To claim your prize for any of our bonus draws and promotions, please call the customer helpline on 0844 375 55 55. One of our team will explain how to claim your winnings.

What if I have a multi-week ticket? The promotion is valid for the week stated on the ticket and on the website. If you have played multiple weeks, the promotion will not be valid for all weeks played. [top]

Direct Debit Promotion

What if I am already a direct debit player?

If you are already a direct debit player you’re still eligible for the promotion. By signing up to play additional line you can receive the first 2 weeks for free for those lines on us.

How will this promotion work in terms of payment?

You’ll need to set up a direct debit subscription in the usual way at www.healthlottery.co.uk. The full amount for the direct debit payment will be collected as per the regular direct debit payments. We will then credit your bank account the 2 free weeks. This may take up to 4 weeks to appear in your account. You will not be entered into the draw until the direct debit payment has been collected from your account.

Can I cancel the direct debit subscription?

The direct debit can be cancelled at anytime however once signed up to direct debit the first collection will be taken.

Is there a maximum number of lines I can play using this offer?

The maximum number of lines you can play online on The Health Lottery is 40. You can enter the promotion for up to all 40 line. [top]

Lucky Playcard Promotion

Does the playcard have to be activated to win?

Yes, the playcard must be activated in order for it to be eligible to be a winner.

Do I have to have played in this week’s draw to win the lucky playcard promotion?

No, as long as you have an activated playcard you in the draw to win the lucky playcard promotion.

Do I need to have activated my playcard after a specific date?

No, as long as you have an activated playcard you in the draw to win the lucky playcard promotion. This includes all playcards activated since launch.

How do I know if I’ve won on the lucky playcard promotion?

Every card has a unique 11 digit reference number. This reference number will be announced following the draw. Customers will need to check their card against this number. The number will be published on The Health Lottery website and available at the contact centre.

What is the claim period for the playcard draw?

The Lucky playcard owner has 14 days from Sunday 22nd January to claim the prize and will be required to confirm where and when the card was activated.

The winner will also be required to produce the playcard in order to claim the prize (just like a jackpot ticket holder)

What if multiple people win the quarter million pounds? Will it be shared?

The Health Lottery is a fixed prize game so it doesn’t matter how many people win, they will each get the advertised prize. [top]

The Winners Club

What do I get for being in the Winners Club?

We’re rewarding our winners by sending them a golden playcard.

We’ll also enter you into a free prize draw to win £50. What’s more, you can invite your family and friends to enter the draw too. And if they win £50, you also win £50. That means the more people you invite the better your chances of winning!

I’m not sure, can I call back at a later date to join the winners club?

Yes, you can call back and we can sign you up. Alternatively, you can visit our website at www.healthlottery.co.uk to enter your details and join.

When is the draw?

18^th April, we will e-mail you to confirm if you are a winner or not.

How do I invite my friends?

We will send you an email with a link to forward onto your friends or to post onto your Facebook page if you have one. Your friends can then click through to enter on our website.

I don’t have an email address. Can I still join the club?

You can still be part of the Winners Club and receive a golden playcard. However, as this is an online promotion it requires that you set up an email address in order to enter this draw.

Are you just going to bombard me with spam? I don’t want to sign up to marketing communication.

No, we send you an email to confirm you are in the club with the link to forward onto your friends and an email following the draw to advise if you’ve won or not.

How many £50 prizes are there? Am I likely to win?

There are 500 prizes of £50 to win. You can actually increase your odds of winning by inviting more friends and family to enter the draw because if they win £50, you also win £50.

How do I know if I’ve won?

We will send you an email to advise if you have won or not.

How do you know I’ve invited my friend to join?

Your email will contain a tag which we can track to the people you have invited. If your friend wins we can see where their invite came from using this tag.

What else do I get for being in the Winner Club other than the playcard and draw entry?

The benefits of being a member will be reviewed on a regular basis and full information on the current benefits will be published on the website.

How do I opt out? I have changed my mind and don’t want to be a member?

If you would no longer like to be part of the Winners Club you can opt out by calling the customer helpline on 0844 375 55 55 to request to be opted out. You will need to quote your email address.

Will the golden play card be pre-loaded with my favourite numbers when it arrives?

No, you will need to activate your golden playcard in the usual way either by SMS, at www.healthlottery.co.uk or by handing it to your Health Lottery retailer.

What is the difference between a golden playcard and a blue playcard?

The only difference between a golden playcard (apart from the fact that it means you are in the Winners Club) is that it is gold. The playcard can be used in exactly the same way as a blue playcard to store your numbers and play in store.

I cannot access my e-mails, how can I confirm if I’m a winner?

You can confirm if you are a winner by calling the customer helpline on 0844 375 55 55 and quoting your email address.

If I am a winner how will the £50 be paid to me?

If you are a winner you will need to call the customer helpline on 0844 375 55 to make your claim. Your £50 cheque will then be sent to you via post.

Can I forward the e-mail to friends that are under 16?

As stipulated in our terms and conditions, anyone entering the draw must be 16 or over and resident in Great Britain.

Can I forward the e-mail to friends that are outside of the UK for entry into the draw?

As stipulated in our terms and conditions, anyone entering the draw must be 16 or over and resident in Great Britain. [top]