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UK Poetry Competitions (currently (21)

Edward Thomas Poetry Competition 2026.  The Edward Thomas Fellowship is running another of its annual poetry contests.  As usual, entries are limited to 40 lines, and there is no set theme.  Well-known poet Daljit Nagra will be judging.
    Closing: 20.9.25.
    Prizes: £250, £100, £100.
    Entry Fee: £5 each (maximum three entries).
    Comp Page: ETF Poetry .

Togetherness Poetry Challenge.  The theme for this freebie is, as the name implies, Togetherness.  There is a 40 line limit.  All submitted poems will be published online.  A selection from these will appear in an anthology.  You can if you wish use an image to illustrate your poem.
    Closing: 26.9.25.
    Prizes: £500, £100 x 5.
    Entry Fee: None - free entry.
    Comp Page: Togetherness

Hammond House International Writing Competitions.  This annual offering from Hammond House Publishing at University Centre Grimsby is for short stories of between 1,000 and 5,000 words, poems of up to 40 lines, scripts (theatre, radio, short film or TV) of up to 10 pages (approx. 10 minutes duration), and Songwriting in the form of just lyrics or complete songs.  In all categories the theme is Secrets.
    Closing: 30.9.25.
    Prizes: Short Story - £1,000.  Poetry - £500.  Script - £250.  Songwriting - £100 in each sub-category, plus the song will be played at the 2026 Literary Festival and released worldwide on the Hammond House record label.  All shortlisted entries in the Story and Poetry categories will be published in the anthology, as will the scriptwriting winners.  There will be a televised awards ceremony (so get your politically correct, virtue signalling acceptance speech ready - and don't forget to thank the train/taxi driver, etc, without whom you wouldn’t be there).
    Entry Fee: £10.
    Comp Page: HH Lit Prize

Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Prize.  This regular visitor from the USA has now become two competitions in one: the Tom Howard Prize and the Margaret Reid Prize.  The former is for poems in any style, while the latter is for traditional verse as defined on the competition page.  In both cases the line limit is a very generous (some might say extravagant) 250.
    Closing: 30.9.25.
    Prizes: Tom Howard Prize (any style) - $3,500 + gift certificate.  Margaret Reid Prize (traditional verse) - $3,500 + gift certificate.  In addition there will be ten Honourable Mention awards of $500.
    Entry Fee: $25 per submission (one submission can contain up to 3 poems).
    Comp Page : TH & MR Poetry.

Moth Nature Writing Prize. This annual contest from Irish magazine The Moth is for nature writing of up to 4,000 words.  Entries can be prose or poetry.  I should perhaps mention for the uninitiated that the magazine is not devoted to the subject of moths, fascinating though these creatures may be.  It is an arts and literature magazine.  But you can write about moths if you wish as there is no set theme.  The contest is open worldwide.
    Closing: 30.9.25.
    Prizes: 1st - 1,000 euros.  The winner also gets a week at The Moth Retreat in Ireland.  Runners-up - 500 euros, 250 euros.  Winning entries will be published online.
    Entry Fee: 15 euros.
    Comp Page: Moth Nature Writing.

Dear Michael
   I discovered your excellent site a few months back and entered some of the poetry competitions. I have in all my long years never received a payment for anything I have written, but I today received an email from Cooldog Publications to say I have won second prize in their E-mag Poetry Competition! £50! What a great way to start the new year.
   I just had to write and say thanks to you for the trouble you have taken with your site and how much I appreciate the sense of humour that underpins it.
  This has given me a terrific boost.
                                                                                -  Carol Browne

Letter Review Prizes.  Here’s a repeat of the contest from the USA with four categories: Poetry (all kinds, up to 70 lines), Short Fiction (up to 5,000 words), Nonfiction (up to 5,000 words) and Unpublished Books (first 5,000 words of a novel, nonfiction or collection of short stories, or 15 pages of poetry).  In the Unpublished Books category, self-published books are eligible.
    Closing: 30.9.25 (11.59pm ET).
    Prizes: A share of the $1,000 prize pool in each category.  Poetry, Short Fiction and Nonfiction winners will be published, while Unpublished Book winners can choose to have an extract published and receive a letter of recommendation from the judges.  Winners in the first three categories will also be considered for submission to the Pushcart Prize and other anthologies.
    Entry Fee: Short Fiction - $20.  Poetry - $15.  Nonfiction - $20.  Unpublished Book - $25.
    Comp Page: Letter Review Prizes

NAWG Open Competition.  Waking from hibernation is this annual contest from the National Association of Writers and Groups.  It is for poems of up to 40 lines and stories of between 500 and 2,000 words.  In both cases your efforts should be aimed at adults.
    Closing: 30.9.25.
    Prizes (in neach category): £200, £100, £50.  Winning entries may be published on the website.
    Entry Fee: £5 each (story or poem).  In the poetry category, three poems can be entered for £10.
    Comp Page: NAWG Open

Waltham Forest Poetry Competition.  Here’s a contest from Waltham Forest in London.  It is open to poets worldwide.  The theme is weather or Whether, and you can interpret this in any way you choose - as long as you confine your musings to no more than 40 lines.
    Closing: 20.10.25.
    Prizes: Main - £400, £200, £100.  Funniest Poem - £100.  Waltham Forest Prize - £50, £30, £20.  Young Poets Main - £50, £30, £20.  Young Poets Waltham Forest Prize - £50, £30, £20.   Funniest Poem (on the main theme) - £100.  Winners will be published on the website.
    Entry Fee: £3 for the first, £1 thereafter (up to 6 poems).  Young poets (under 18) - Free.
    Comp Page: Waltham Poetry

Eyelands Book Awards.  This is the eighth of these international book award contests from literary magazine Eyelands and Strange Days Books in Greece.  There are three main categories: Published Book, Unpublished Book, Writers’ Choice.  Acceptable genres include Poetry Collection, Novella, Short Story Collection, Novel, Children’s and YA books, Historical Fiction, Memoir, Graphic Novel.
    Closing: 20.10.25 (midnight PST).
    Prizes: Unpublished Book Grand Prize - Translation into Greek and publication by Strange Days Books.  Published Book Grand Prize - a 5-day holiday in Athens.  Writers’ Choice (as voted for by other prizewinners) - a 5-day stay in Athens.  There are 14 other prizes of a special handmade ceramic.  Selected texts from prizwinners will be published online, and there will be translation into Greek for poetry and short story winners.   All winners and finalists receive an online certificate, ideal for printing and hanging on the wall where your visitors are sure to see it (i.e. next to the drinks cabinet or the television).
    Entry Fee: 30 euros up to September 1st, then 40 euros.
    Comp Page: Eyelands Comp

Iota Shot Pamphlet Awards.   To enter this annual contest from Templar Poetry of Matlock in Derbyshire you submit between 16 and 25 pages of poetry.
    Closing: 20.10.25.
    Prizes: Up to four pamphlets will be published under a standard publishing agreement which will include the option to submit a full collection for later publication.  Winning authors will receive support to promote their work at live events.
    Entry Fee: £20.
    Comp Page: Iota Shot Award

Bedford Writing Competition.  This annual not-for-profit contest from Bedfordshire, home of the famous Shuttleworth Collection (old aeroplanes and cars) is for stories of up to 3,000 words and poems running to no more than 40 lines.  There is also the Cygnature story and poetry contest, open to young writers aged 17 to 25.  Plus there is the Bedford Prize for Bedford residents.
    Closing: 31.10.25..
    Prizes in each category (Poetry, Short Story): £1,500, £300, £200.   Cygnature Short Story and Poetry - £200 in each category.  In addition there is £100 in each category for the Bedford Prize..  Shortlisted and winning entries will be published in an anthology (e-book and hardcopy).
    Entry Fee: £8.50 each, £17 for three.  Full-time students: £6 each, £12 for three.
    Comp Page: BWC.

Wildfire Words Single Poem Competition.  All forms of poetry up to 50 lines are required for this annual contest from Wildfire Words.  The theme this year is ‘Conflict or Collaboration.’
    Closing: 31.10.25.
    Prizes: Text Entries: 1st - £300.  Audio Entries: 1st - £300.  Runners-up (4) - £25,   Plus publication as text and audio.  Prizewinners and up to 20 longlisted entries will be published in the anthology.
    Entry Fee: £4.
    Comp Page:  Wilfire Words.

Hi Michael,
     Thanks for a very useful website. Since finding the contact details on your site, I've won the Txtlit competition twice, and the Write Invite competition four times. With the prize money I'm now entering other competitions. Thanks for keeping us writers posted!
     Best regards, Uta Coutts

National Poetry Competition. The National Poetry Society is once again running its prestigious international contest for poems of up to 40 lines.  As usual there is no theme.  This year’s judges are Denise Saul, Ian Duhig and Susannah Dickey.
    Closing: 31.10.25.
    Prizes: 1st - £5,000,  2nd - £3,000.  3rd - £2,000.   Commended - £500.
    Entry Fee: £8 for the first, £6 thereafter.
    Comp Page: NPC

Cheltenham Poetry Festival Competition.  This is the Cheltenham Poetry Festival’s third annual  international poetry competition.  Entries can be up to 50 lines.
    Closing: 1.11.25.
    Prizes: £300, £100, £50.  The first prize winner will be offered a guest slot at the 2026 Festival, online or in person.
    Entry Fee: £4 each, £10 for three, £15 for five.
    Comp Page: Cheltenham Poetry

F(r)iction Writing Competition.  This international contest from the USA has three categories: Short Story (1,001 to 7,500 words), Poetry (up to three pages per poem), and Flash Fiction (up to 1,000 words).
    Closing: 7.11.25.
    Prizes: Short Story - $1,000.  Flash Fiction - £300.  Poetry - $300.
    Entry Fees : Short Story - $15.  Poetry and Flash Fiction - single entry $10, three-pack $12.
    Comp Page: F(r)iction Comps

Happiful Poetry Prize 2026.   It’s back - the free competition that celebrates the best of mental health writing.  The promoters are seeking unique voices and fresh perspectives.  To enter, submit up to 24 lines on the topic of mental health.
     Closing: 14.11.25.
     Prizes:  1st - £100.  Runners-up (4) - £25 in book tokens.  The five winning poems will be published in  the Happiful magazine.
     Entry Fee: None - free to enter.
     Comp Page: Happiful

Cafe Writers Open Poetry Competition.  This annual contest from Cafe Writers of Norwich (where the Man in the Moon was keen to go, according to a report I read as a child) is for poems of up to 40 lines.
    Closing: 23.11.25.
    Prizes: £1,000, £300, £200.  Runners-up (3) - £50.  Norfolk Prize (for a permanent Norfolk resident) - £50.
    Entry Fee : £5 each, £13 for three, £4 each thereafter.
    Comp Page: Cafe Poetry.

Paul Cave Prize for Literature.  Here’s a repeat of the new contest from Tim Saunders Publications of Southampton.  It has six categories: novellas of up to 10,000 words, novelettes of up to 7,500 words,, short stories of up to 1,000 words, flash fiction up to 300 words, micro fiction of up to 100 words, and poems of no more than 30 lines.
    Closing: 30.11.25.
    Prizes: Novella - £200.  Novelette - £100.  Short story - £75.  Flash Fiction - £35.  Micro Fiction - £25.  Poem - £35.  Winners in each category will receive feedback, and publication in the anthology and on the website.  A free copy of the anthology will go to all contributors.
    Entry Fees: Novella - £26 for one, £42 for two.  Short story - £15 for one, £25 for two.  Poem/Flash Fiction - up to 3 for £15.  Micro Fiction - up to 8 for £25.
    Comp Page: Paul Cave Prize

Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition .  This annual contest from the Munster Literature Centre in Cork, Ireland, is for poems of up to 40 lines in English on any subject.
    Closing: 30.11.25.
    Prizes: 1st - 2,000 euros, featured reading at the Cork International Poetry Festival (with 4-night hotel stay and full board), plus publication in the Southword journal.  2nd - 500 euros and publication in Southword.  3rd - 250 euros and publication in Southword.  Runners-up (10) - 50 euros and publication in Southword .
    Entry Fee: 7 euros each, 30 euros for five.
    Comp Page: Greg OD Poetry.

Moth Poetry Prize. This annual contest from Irish magazine The Moth is for poems of any length and on any subject.  I should perhaps mention that the magazine is not devoted to the subject of moths, fascinating though these may be.  It is an arts and literature magazine.  Presumably the name is a reference to the way artists and writers are attracted to the light of recognition only to beat their wings in vain against an invisible barrier until finally, broken and defeated, they slide down to the windowsill of despair.  You’d think the magazine people could have come up with something a bit more cheerful than that, wouldn’t you?
    Closing: 31.12.25.
    Prizes: 1st - 6,000 euros.  Runners-up (3) - 1,000 euros.  Commended (8) - 250 euros.
    Entry Fee: 16 euros.
    Comp Page: Moth Poetry Comp.

Poems on the Move Competition.  Poems of up to 14 lines that fit onto an A4 page are required for this international contest from the Channel Islands ... or rather one of them: Guernsey.  Twenty-one poems will be chosen to feature on the Guernsey buses, and the top 9 of these will be exhibited at Guernsey Airport and then at other sites all over the island.
    Closing: 15.1.26.  Opens for entries 15.9.25.
    Prizes: Open category: 1st - £1,000, £500, £250.  Channel Islands; 1st - £250, £50, £30.  Young Poets: 1st - £250, £50, £30.
   Entry Fees: Open and Channel Islands categories - £5 each, £12 for three,  Young Poets - Free.
    Comp Page: Guernsey Poetry

Hi Michael
     I spent a year or so reading all those comments on your website from people who, since consulting your list, seem have won just about every competition going. I read it and thought it must be too good to be true – but worth a try. Then, on my third submission, I have actually gone and won the Yeovil Literary Prize for Poetry. I am absolutely over the moon, unable to believe it, etc.  Thank you so much.
                                                                                   -  Andy Miller

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Notes: Unless otherwise stated in the rules, poetry should be single-spaced.  It is sometimes the case that your name shouldn’t appear on the manuscript. Check the rules.  If you put your name on there after being told not to, you’re out.  Don’t use coloured paper or fancy fonts.  The colour and pizzazz to make you stand out from the crowd should be in the words.  Plain white A4 80gsm paper is the stuff to use, with plain black typing or print.  My preferred font for poetry manuscripts printed on an inkjet or laser printer is Gill Sans in 12 point (13 if I’m not pressed for space).  This gives a clear, dark print that’s easy to read.  Although publishers and agents sometimes demand the feeble Courier font, which comes out on my printers like something produced by a typewriter with an antique ribbon, I’ve never known competition organisers to express any preference.  But as always, check the rules.  Finally, write on one side of the sheet only - unless asked to put your address, etc, on the back.
 

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Disclaimer

   
For other types of writing contests see the full list on my Writing Comps page.