Across the UK, church buildings are falling into disrepair, closing and being sold off, with some turned into pubs, nightclubs and even mosques. We must act now to preserve these vital community assets says Claire Walker, before they - and their congregations - disappear forever
Every time a church closes, almost one third of its congregation stops going to church entirely. They do not find another church to worship at or stream any online services. So, it should be of huge concern that 3,500 churches have closed in the UK in the last ten years.
In Wales, around a quarter of historic churches and chapels have closed their doors in recent years, with just as many now at risk. Meanwhile, the Church of Scotland – guardian of many of the country’s most important buildings – is actively planning the closure of as many as 40 per cent of its churches.
Many of these churches will be sold and re purposed — some turned into private housing. But why is this an urgent matter now? Well, the Government has just introduced far-reaching changes to the VAT reclaim scheme for listed places of worship, making essential repairs much more expensive and in some cases, impossible.
A vital support scheme
The Listed Places of Worship Grants Scheme, introduced in 2001 by then-Chancellor Gordon Brown, enables churches to reclaim VAT costs on urgent repairs - from fixing crumbling towers to sealing leaking roofs. The scheme has been renewed by every government since, often for multiple years at a time, helping more than 13,000 places of worship to stay open.
But the Labour Government has only extended the scheme until March 2026, and imposed harsh new restrictions, including a £25,000 cap. Since repairs are funded by the local churchgoers, these changes will place a heavier financial burden on congregations. Repairs will be up to 20 per cent more expensive under the new changes. Churches from across the country have said their current repair projects have been affected, and future plans put on hold.
Buildings that have survived conquests, world wars, plagues and pandemics are now fighting for their future
St Mary’s, a vibrant church at the centre of Totnes, attracts 50,000 visitors a year. A major repair project has been 15 years in the planning. Now, changes to the scheme have left the church with an additional bill of between £150,000-200,000. “Given that we have already been supported by nearly all the major church heritage funders, it is not clear where this would come from,” Jim Barlow, the rector at St Mary’s said. “It is really disheartening for those who have worked so hard - and for the local community. It puts a significant investment in the local heritage fabric at risk.”
St Laurence church in Chorley has had to go back to the drawing board with its roof repairs, even though water pouring down onto the pews forced them to close the church last year. They just do not have enough money to pay the additional VAT costs, especially if the scheme gets scrapped completely.
Every time a church closes, it is deeply felt at a local level by more than just the congregation. The local community also misses out. Often churches are the only public building in the area – especially in rural locations. Our research shows that UK churches are providing essential services that would relieve the NHS of costs of £8.4 billion every year – the equivalent of employing 230,000 nurses. This includes parent and toddler groups, food banks, mental health support and AA groups.
The NHS and local authorities are not able to deliver these services, so the Government needs to think about how it can support churches to ensure they have the resources needed to continue such vital work in their communities.
What needs to be done?
One of the key actions they could take is to make the Listed Places of Worship Grants Scheme permanent and remove the cap. This would help make repair costs more manageable, helping to keep church buildings open and in use by the communities who depend on them.
In England, there are 959 churches, chapels, meeting houses and cathedrals on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register. More than 60 per cent of MPs in England have at least one of these buildings in their constituency.
The future of church buildings is our biggest heritage challenge. We risk losing some of our most important buildings as they fall into disrepair on our watch; no longer safe to use and worship in. Buildings that have survived conquests, world wars, plagues and pandemics, now fighting for their future. We must speak up before it’s too late.
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