The England Illegal Money Lending Team (known as Stop Loan Sharks) is offering grants of up to £5,000 for charities, voluntary and community groups, and other organisations across England to deliver creative community projects that help raise awareness of the dangers of loan sharks and illegal lending in local communities and help prevent future harm.
Funding is for projects that meet the following criteria:
- Contributing to raising awareness of the dangers of using loan sharks.
- Preventing crime and disorder and publicising the Stop Loan Sharks message.
- Promoting the work of the Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT) in communities.
- Encouraging reporting of loan sharks.
Proposed projects will be assessed against the following priorities: innovation, community engagement, impact, and legacy. Projects should be delivered by 1 September 2027
Funding comes from money confiscated from convicted loan sharks under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).
The deadline for applications is 16 October 2026.