Listed Places of Worship Scheme

The Listed Places of Worship (LPW) scheme was introduced by Gordon Brown in 2000. The LPW Scheme provides a grant equivalent to the cost of VAT on repair and maintenance work and associated professional fees on listed churches. The funding is provided by the Department for Culture Media and Sport.

This is presently due to expire on 31 March 2025.

It is very important that this funding should be renewed. As VAT is chargeable on all repairs to listed churches, its removal would add 20% to the cost of projects.

DCMS has confirmed that the future of the Scheme beyond March 2025 will be a matter for the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review. DCMS explained that they are now in a period of business planning within DCMS which will determine what happens with the Scheme once the current funding arrangements expire at the end of March 2025. They hope to get an answer on the Scheme as soon as they can, as they know the sector needs clarity on future arrangements.

On 16 December, Adam Dance MP (Liberal Democrat) tabled an Early Day Motion calling for the renewal of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, highlighting its importance in maintaining historic places of worship across the UK. The motion was supported by 15 MPs. Written questions on the scheme were also raised by the Lord Bishop of St Albans and Ed Morello MP. Read the full Early Day Motion here https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/62914

Possible action: National bodies are continuing to make representations to the government at a national level, and it is not too late to write to the Culture Secretary if you have direct experience of the Scheme and haven't already written. It would add considerable weight to the case if the views of individual places of worship are heard.

You can send your email to The Rt Hon Lisa Nandy MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, 1st Floor, 100 Parliament Street, London SW1A 2BQ
enquiries@dcms.gov.uk

It is also worth writing to your MP as this will encourage them to make direct representations to the Secretary of State at the DCMS. So, if you have recently completed works or are contemplating projects and explain what the LPW Scheme means to your place of worship and perhaps invite him/her to your place of worship to see the benefits.

Write to your MP

We are working on a template letter, which will be added to this webpage soon.