The Independent and Evening Standard saw donations to their charity Christmas appeals double yesterday, after an announcement by Chancellor George Osborne in yesterday’s spending review.

Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity is the recipient of both appeals. The money it receives will come from the Treasury's Libor fines fund, and forms part of a £25m fund announced yesterday.

Both the Evening Standard and The Independent are owned by Russian businessman Alexander Lebedev.

During yesterday’s spending review Osborne said he was “delighted to back the important campaign by the Evening Standard and the Independent for Great Ormond Street Hospital”.

“This appeal will help it continue its great work as one of the world’s leading children’s hospitals. As well as helping treat desperately ill children, this money will also be spent on providing support to the families of such youngsters,” he said.

The pledge is capped at £1.5m of Treasury funds – an amount Osborne urged the public to make sure is used in its entirety.

“It is right that the fines we levy on banks for manipulating the Libor rates are used for extremely vital causes like this and I urge everyone to get right behind the appeal so that we can donate the maximum amount,” he said.

Chief executive of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, Tim Johnson, said the charity was “delighted to have been chosen as the beneficiaries of The Independent and Evening Standard Christmas Appeals”.

“With the help of readers of The Independent and the Evening Standard we can make a real difference to the children and their families who are cared for at Great Ormond Street Hospital every day. Together, we can help to give seriously ill children the best chance for life and make Great Ormond Street Hospital an even more extraordinary place,” he said.

Last year’s Evening Standard and Independent Christmas appeal raised £1.3m for the charity Homeless Veterans.

Guardian appeal will support refugee charities

On Tuesday, the Guardian and Observer announced that their Christmas appeal, titled ‘we stand together’, will go towards six refugee charities.

They include the Red Cross – and its sister organisation the Red Crescent, the “inspirational charity”, the Migrant Offshore Aid Station, Doctors of the World UK – part of the Médecins du Monde network - Refugee Council, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and The City of Sanctuary.

The Guardian said it will donate free advertising space as part of the campaign. 

Telegraph appeal announced

Earlier this month, the Telegraph said it will support three charities through its annual Christmas appeal.

Care International UK, Horatio's Garden and Rethink Mental Illness will benefit from reader donations.

The newspaper has raised more than £23m from its appeals over the past 10 years, raising more that £680,000 last year for the Abbeyfield Society, Masanga Mentor Ebola Initiative and Medical Detection Dogs.

Last year's UK newspaper appeals raised over £5.3m for UK charities.