The government is being called upon to make everlasting a scheme that helps listed places of worship manage costly repair and maintenance bills.
The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee warned that failing to make the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme (LPWGS) everlasting would depart historical churches in danger.
MPs on the committee also called for the removal of a recently introduced £25,000 cap on claims, and for the scheme’s current budget to be reviewed.
They suggested that the cap and the dearth of permanence in funding was creating uncertainty and anxiety around repair projects that are typically long-term, running into years of planning.
This in turn is putting increased pressure on listed churches and the congregations and communities struggling to keep up them.
The concerns are specified by a letter from the Chair of the Committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage, to heritage minister, Baroness Twycross.
The letter notes that “45% of the UK’s Grade I buildings are owned by the Church of England and churches remain communal spaces for social and charitable activities”.
The temporary nature of funding makes the scheme “not fit” for the realities of the sector, it continues.
“Not only does this create anxiety and uncertainty among the many volunteers attempting to revive their historic buildings, but it surely disincentivises projects which cannot count on the scheme’s support in the longer term,” said Dame Dinenage.
She added: “The scheme is welcome recognition of the role of churches and their contribution to our heritage, but without certainty over its future many repair and refurbishment projects are liable to never getting off the bottom.
“The Government must commit to the scheme by making it a everlasting source of support and by lifting the cap, so historic places of worship can think about the necessary work they do in our communities.”
Last week, the committee heard evidence at its inquiry into protecting built heritage from the Church of England’s Director for Cathedral and Church Buildings, Emily Gee, and a former Director for Cathedral and Church Buildings, the Rev Paula Griffiths.
Welcoming Dame Dinenage’s intervention, Ms Gee said the scheme was of “huge importance” within the “crucial” maintenance of historic cathedral and church buildings.
“The Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme has been a lifeline for places of worship and the hard-working volunteers and clergy who look after historic church buildings urgently need the boldness of ongoing, reliable sources of funding,” she said.
“The current uncertainty across the LPWGS is putting church communities under real pressure, requiring additional fundraising to pay tax or scaling back schemes for essential repairs.
“We know that it saves money in the long term to maintain up maintenance and continuing VAT relief will help enable those works.
“As one diocese said: ‘funding into built heritage will multiply to wider community advantages that may ease funding elsewhere … VAT relief for a listed church can also be often VAT relief for a food pantry, youth work and mental health groups.'”
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