The Lotteries Fund allocated more than $966 million to welfare programmes from January to March, the Social Welfare Department says.

Social welfare support received more than $854 million; youth services, $23 million; elderly and medical social services, $75 million; rehabilitation services, $11.5 million; and family and child welfare, $1.95 million.

The fund was established to finance, by way of grants, loans or advances, the operation or development of social welfare services and medical or educational projects with a welfare content.