The Church of England has stated the federal government slashing funding accessible for listed locations of worship repairs will solely present “temporary relief” and is anxious a few cap affecting bigger initiatives.
Heritage minister Sir Chris Bryant, a former Anglican priest, introduced the Listed Locations of Worship Grant Scheme will obtain £23m for 2025/26 in contrast with £42m accessible this yr.
A cap of £25,000 per constructing annually will even be launched for the primary time in 24 years “in order to meet the budget”.
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The scheme supplies grants to cowl the 20% VAT paid on repairs and renovations over £1,000 to hundreds of listed websites of worship, together with church buildings, synagogues, mosques and temples.
It was launched by Gordon Brown in 2001 and has been renewed by each authorities since then, with funding usually assured for a number of years.
Almost £350m has been awarded since then to make sure the buildings, which regularly host group actions and are of historic and cultural significance, don’t fall into disrepair.
There was concern the Labour authorities was not going to resume the scheme when the present dedication ends in March, however Sir Chris confirmed it’ll proceed.
Nonetheless, he didn’t affirm if the scheme will proceed past March 2026, which church buildings have stated will make it troublesome to plan for repairs.
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London Central Mosque in Regent’s Park is Grade II listed. File pic: Reuters
‘Short-term aid’ and ‘challenges’
The Church of England welcomed the renewal however raised considerations bigger initiatives can be affected by the cap and funding is simply assured for an additional yr.
The Heritage Alliance, which represents heritage organisations equivalent to English Heritage and the Nationwide Belief, raised the identical considerations.
The Bishop of Bristol, Viv Faull, and the Bishop of Ramsbury, Andrew Rumsey, the Church of England’s lead bishops on church buildings, stated they welcomed “the 12-month extension” however it might solely carry “temporary relief to many small scale projects already under way or anticipated in the near future”.
“The capping of the scheme will pose challenges to larger projects,” they stated.
They stated they have been grateful for the federal government’s work on the scheme and added: “The scheme has been a lifeline for our buildings since it was first introduced in 2001.”
Labour MP Marsha de Cordova, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, added: “Going forward, it is vital that a long-term solution is reached for some of the country’s most important community buildings and that this scheme is made permanent.”
Carole Souter, chair of The Heritage Alliance, welcomed the announcement and stated the scheme “has provided a lifeline for thousands of historic religious buildings”.
She added: “We are concerned that the future of larger projects may now be more challenging, given the cap on funding, and the uncertainty beyond March 2026.”
She stated the group appears ahead to working with the federal government to safe “a sustainable and effective scheme beyond 2026”.
Conservative shadow tradition secretary Stuart Andrew accused Labour of withholding “their plans to slash the scheme’s funding for months, causing churches to put off vital repairs and projects in fear of being slammed with a huge tax bill”.
“Labour must recognise their decision to impose a worship tax by slashing the scheme’s budget will hammer historic churches, synagogues, mosques and other places of worship that are at the heart of communities,” he added.
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The late King and Queen at Grade I listed Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford in 2013. File pic: Reuters
Most initiatives are beneath £5,000
Sir Chris instructed MPs whereas £42m was accessible for the scheme final yr, solely £29m was claimed.
He stated 94% of functions for the reason that scheme was launched have been beneath £25,000, and greater than 70% beneath £5,000.
MPs had been pressuring ministers to proceed the scheme and church-goers had been writing to their MPs explaining why church buildings, which account for almost half of the UK’s listed buildings, have been integral to their communities.
This isn’t perfection
Sir Chris instructed MPs: “We made this difficult decision against a tough financial background and bearing in mind a wide range of compelling priorities of expenditure within the department.”
He admitted: “It’s a smaller amount of money, I’ll be straight.
“By custom, a cathedral isn’t symmetrical as a result of solely God is ideal.
“I’m sure this is not perfection for what everybody would want but I hope it is at least acceptable.”
Funding for repairs additionally comes from the Nationwide Lottery Heritage Fund, which has a £15m pot to assist help locations of worship, together with repairs, whereas the Church buildings Conservation Belief helps fund repairs and upkeep of greater than 350 church buildings.
Historic England’s Heritage At Danger additionally helps sure spiritual buildings in determined want of restore.
