Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he plans to allocate funding to churches for the maintenance of church buildings as a result of their contribution to the provision of public services.

Many places of worship do accommodate additional uses, including those for community purposes, alongside worship. These buildings provide economic and social positive externalities to the country as a whole, and at a local level, they provide a thriving community asset. Places of worship forge social capital by strengthening community cohesion and belonging alongside providing significant social benefits in times of need. Social action at places of worship is equally prevalent and valuable, such as food banks, blood donation centres and night shelters.

The Government has set out its vision and strategy to protect the historic environment, including England’s places of worship, in the 2017 Heritage Statement. The DCMS-funded Taylor Review Pilot and its subsequent evaluation, published in October 2020, underlines the importance of a strategic approach, based on understanding the gaps in local community provision, when considering additional uses of places of worship.

The Government has supported the maintenance of historic churches throughout the UK since 2001 through the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. The Scheme, which is currently funded until the end of March 2021, provides grants towards VAT paid on repairs and maintenance. It presently handles around 7000 claims per annum, is open to all faiths and denominations and is delivered UK wide.

In addition, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government has announced significant cross-sector support. This includes a £1.57 billion Cultural Recovery Fund announced earlier this summer, aimed at helping key cultural organisations, including places of worship, through the pandemic. The fund represents the biggest ever one-off investment in UK culture, complementing the Covid-19 support schemes launched earlier in the year by Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Any extension to the existing funding is subject to the Spending Review, which is due to conclude later this month.