The long-awaited Places of Worship Renewal Fund is now open (May 2026).
We encourage you to look closely at the information on Historic England website, which is administering the scheme.
The new Fund will focus on:
- Listed places of worship in England
- Urgent fabric repairs
- Essential improvements: electrical upgrades, heating, toilets and step-free access
This is an important government funding opportunity to seize. If your parish is not application-ready right now, there will be annual round of deadlines to work towards over the four years of the fund.
Some types of work will attract VAT at a lower or zero rate. There is a note on the Church of England website to explain where a lower rate may be available, but each PCC will need to take its own tax advice.