Porter probes public funding for UFO group

A group of UFO enthusiasts has come crashing to Earth with a federal minister ordering an urgent probe into their taxpayer funding.

The Tuggerah Lakes UFO Group on the NSW Central Coast has pocketed nearly $6000 in government money since 2013.

Social Services Minister Christian Porter, whose department dishes out the volunteer grants, is in disbelief.

"The minister is somewhat surprised at the nature of this particular volunteer group being funded through this grant program," Mr Porter's spokeswoman told AAP on Thursday evening.

"He has instructed his department to hold the transmission of funds pending a re-examination of the application by the department."

The group, which has more than 800 members on Facebook, is said to share news and information of UFO matters and support friends and networks.

"The minister's office has been advised that this group was previously funded under the Labor government in 2013 and that some of this grant goes to the transport costs of volunteers with a disability," Mr Porter's spokeswoman said.