“Journalism that refuses to look away”: Prospect to sponsor The Orwell Prize for Exposing Britain’s Social Evils
The prize, last awarded in 2023, will re-open for entries this Autumn
“To see what is in front of one’s nose needs a constant struggle.”
Dear Friends,
We are delighted to announce that The Orwell Prize for Exposing Britain’s Social Evils will be awarded again in 2026, sponsored by Prospect magazine. The news was first revealed by Sir Clive Cowdery, Founder and Chairman of the Resolution Group and owner of Prospect, at the Orwell Prize ceremony on 25 June 2025. Read on to find out more about this important prize and why it is so valued by journalists and reporters across the UK.
"The way we live was central to George Orwell's work. From The Road to Wigan Pier to his closely-observed novels and essays, he tried to see Britain as it was, not as we might like it to be. He wanted - as we all must - this place, our place, to be better. So we are delighted to be working with Prospect on finding, and celebrating, reporting that reveals injustices, but above all is the basis for real change."
Professor Jean Seaton, Director, The Orwell Foundation
This year also saw us present the winners of The Orwell Youth Prize at our annual ceremony: the first time in the history of our awards that our youth and adult winners have shared the same stage. You can now read our Youth Prize winners’ fantastic work, from short fiction to poetry and personal essays, on our website. Look out for more insights from our young writers here on the newsletter over the summer.
From our unique feedback offer, to inspiring workshops with professional journalists and authors across the country, the Youth Prize aims to give every young person in the UK the opportunity to think and write creatively and critically, inspired by Orwell’s example. With demand for our work growing year on year, we need your help to reach the next generation of political writers, whatever their background. Find out more about how you can support our work as a volunteer, Friend or Patron.
The Orwell Foundation team
Just announced: The Orwell Prize for Exposing Britain’s Social Evils returns for 2026
With a reputation for finding and rewarding new talent, as well as celebrating high impact, long-term investigations which do not always get the attention they deserve, The Orwell Prize for Exposing Britain’s Social Evils has been highly valued by journalists across the UK ever since it was first awarded in 2016. Previous winners, from BBC UK editor Ed Thomas to Financial Times columnist, reporter and associate editor Sarah O’Connor, continue to set the standard for social reporting in the UK.
Complemented by the existing Orwell Prize for Journalism, as well as the Orwell Prize for Reporting Homelessness, the prize reflects the Foundation’s commitment to championing brave, impactful journalism, in the best tradition of George Orwell. It also aligns with Prospect’s mission to support fearless reporting that shines a light on injustice and drives public understanding of complex issues.
“Prospect challenges the way we think about our world. And often that means exposing hard truths. Orwell’s legacy reminds us that social problems often arise through inaction, failed policy, or indifference. This prize celebrates journalism that refuses to look away.” - Sir Clive Cowdery
About the Prize
The Orwell Prize for Exposing Britain’s Social Evils honours reporting that investigates the social fabric of the UK, covering topics such as poverty, housing, education, disability, welfare, and the impacts of government policy.
Its goal is to bring underreported stories to national attention, and to support journalists working on difficult, long-term issues that may not lead the bulletins but carry lasting impact. Open to work published across all platforms, text, video, audio, photojournalism and social media, the prize is judged by an independent panel of experts, with new judges to be announced later this year.
The winner receives £5,000 and will be published in Prospect. Two runners-up will receive £2,500 each, and their work may also be featured digitally.
An AI program gone rogue, a reporter caught up in civil war, a city freed from a tyrant’s grip… read the winners of this year’s Orwell Youth Prize
We received 1476 entries to this year’s Youth Prize from students aged 11 to 18, a truly impressive selection of poetry, short stories, journalism, essays and game design from the next generation of political writers.
For the first time this year, we presented the Orwell Youth Prize alongside our adult prizes. The awards for our winners and runners-up were handed out by George Orwell’s son and the Founding Patron of our charity, Richard Blair while this year’s judges were Manveen Rana, Gary Snapper and Anthony Anaxagourou.
“The winners include short stories beautifully – and with great economy – evoking the experiences of a Sudanese migrant in London; of a journalist reporting from the location of a civil war; and of a city released from a tyrant’s grip. There are also two finely crafted poems, both evoking the exhilaration and chaos of different types of fight for freedom. And finally there is a witty story brilliantly written in the form of a dialogue between an AI program and a freedom-seeker.”
Gary Snapper
You can read all the winners and runners up on our website. The winners will also feature in The Orwell Prize Anthology 2025, which we will be sending to our Friends and Patrons later this year. Thank you to everyone who entered, all our volunteers and judges, and congratulations to our winners.
Can we all belong?
In this month’s featured article, Sam Hill shares insights from The Political Quarterly Conversation 'Can We All Belong?' at the Orwell Festival earlier this year, with Sunder Katwala, Nicola Kelly and Tariq Modood.
“Central to this conversation was the question: whose responsibility is it to ensure a sense of belonging in Britain today?”
Political Quarterly is the leading academic journal for analysis, insight and informed opinion on politics and public policy in the UK and globally. In addition to their essential journal, lively and insightful blog and selected events on key issues in politics and public policy, PQ are the founding sponsors of The Orwell Prizes.
For more highlights from PQ, subscribe to their newsletter here on Substack.