The Chancellor has been urged to retain a tax scheme for listed places of worship following a new survey that showed that the majority of the UK population backs Government support to help churches pay for repairs to their buildings.
Church urges the Government to retain Listed Places of Worship Grant ahead of the budget this week.
The poll shows that two in five people, or 43 per cent of all adults, report having had contact with their local church, the majority of these, or 53 per cent, for services and worship but also 23 per cent – nearly seven million people in the UK – for community support such as parent toddler groups, lunch clubs and food banks.
An estimated 2.8 million people – or 4 per cent of the UK population – have been in contact with their local church for a food bank. Church of England churches run or support 31,300 social action projects, including nearly 8,000 food banks, with emergency food provision and community cafés on the rise.
And more than three quarters of the population – 77 per cent – said historic cathedrals and churches are local and national treasures. And two in five – 41% – said they had visited a church or cathedral simply to find a quiet space for reflection or prayer, with this figure rising to 50 per cent amongst young adults in the 18 to 34 age range.
The survey conducted for the Church of England by Savanta, shows 59 per cent of the UK population agree that the Government should help with the costs of repairing and maintaining historic churches.
Jo Kelly-Moore, Dean of St Albans and Chair of the Association of English Cathedrals, said she was heartened at the level of support shown in the research for churches and cathedrals and the role they play in our communities. She said she echoed the call for the Government to help support our churches and cathedrals’ ability to maintain and cherish these ‘fragile masterpieces‘ for future generations.
She said:
“The threat to end the Listed Places of Worship Grant, and the cap currently imposed, is having a hugely negative impact on our cathedrals, many of which have long-term repair and renewal projects costing hundreds of thousands of pounds.
“And yet these buildings, as the survey found, are our nation’s treasure houses.
“They stand strong at the heart of the nation at times of national sorrow and national celebration and offer a welcome at all times to people of all faiths and none.
“As we prepare for Advent and Christmas with full programmes of festive events, music, and worship, across the nation we will welcome thousands of people into these sacred spaces to celebrate the greatest story of love the world has ever known, we will offer care to many in need, come alongside those who find this time a challenging one, and offer people a place to reflect and find hope, while at the same time facing the challenge of keeping our doors open and our cathedrals warm.
“We urge the Government to rethink the LPWG and would welcome a fresh conversation about how we are funded.”
The Listed Places of Worship Grant scheme was first put in place by the then Chancellor Gordon Brown in 2001 and allows for VAT grants on repairs of more than £1,000 to be claimed for essential repairs and maintenance.
The future of the scheme is in doubt after the Department of Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) announced an interim arrangement earlier this year with a reduction in the amount of money available from £42 million a year to £23 million and a cap of £25,000 per building. The scheme is due to come to an end in March next year and there has been no confirmation from the Government on whether it will be renewed.
The Church of England is responsible for 45 per cent of the UK’s Grade 1 listed buildings. More than 12,500 of its church buildings have listed status.
Current estimates show that around 260 churches and cathedrals have reported that their essential repair projects are at risk because of uncertainty over the scheme’s future and big increases in costs as a result of the £25,000 limit on claims.
The DCMS Commons select committee called in July for the scheme to be made permanent and the cap on claims to be lifted, after hearing evidence from the Church of England as part of its inquiry into built heritage.
The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, said:
“Our churches are at the heart of our communities – not only as places of worship, but as spaces of warm welcome, history, and hope. This winter many will be part of networks of winter shelters, and hundreds will be signed up to provide Warm Spaces, providing help to people struggling to afford energy bills. In some areas they are the only public buildings where people can come and gather together.
“The vast majority of fundraising for our churches is done locally by heroic volunteers and we are deeply grateful for all they do. For more than 20 years, they have relied on the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme to give that crucial bit of extra help. This is a relatively small investment by the Government in buildings that are estimated to have a huge social value. We urge the Government to make the scheme permanent and lift the cap on claims.”
The Church of England’s lead bishop for church buildings, the Bishop of Ramsbury, Andrew Rumsey, said:
“These new survey results affirm the high value the British people put on church buildings as places of service, sanctuary and heritage. Their broad appeal and vital role in social welfare underline the case for Governmental support in the form of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which we urgently need to continue beyond the end of the current interim scheme in March 2026.”
Savanta interviewed 2,018 UK adults aged 18+ online between 15th and 16th November 2025. Data was weighted to be representative of the UK by age, sex, region and social grade. The research findings can be read here.
