Church of England approves £1.6 billion funding package for next three years

The Church of England’s parliamentary body has approved a spending package for the subsequent three years to the tune of £1.6 billion. 

The considerable tranche of funding marks a 36 per cent increase on the present triennium and can go on measures to enhance clergy pensions and wellbeing, and boost parishes in low-income areas. Safeguarding and other redress schemes can even be covered. 

Plans for improving clergy pensions will consider the availability of restitution to affected pensioners and the launch of an independent review into long-term clergy retirement support. 

The proposals might be brought back to General Synod for consideration when it meets in February 2026. 

A motion passed by Synod on Sunday recognised the difficult financial situation facing dioceses across England. 

An amendment to the motion affirmed the prudent management of Church funds while welcoming increased stakeholder engagement in developing the 2026–28 spending plans and the commitment to clergy wellbeing. 

It also called for Synod to have a more formal role in shaping the Church’s national funding framework, including a full debate on how funds are distributed. This is scheduled to be held early in the subsequent triennium. 

On Saturday, Synod approved the National Church Governance Measure, which goals to “simplify and transform the Church’s national structures to higher serve, support and encourage local churches”.

In what has been described as a “major overhaul” of how the Church is governed, two key bodies – the Archbishops’ Council and Church of England Central Services – might be replaced by a recent charity called Church of England National Services (CENS).

The changes are being implemented after a review called for greater efforts to revive trust in Church of England governance and improve transparency. 

The Bishop of Guildford, Andrew Watson, who chaired the steering group behind the Measure, told Synod before the vote that the reforms were needed “in order that simpler governance on the national level might higher serve and support our parishes, their churches, schools and communities in our calling to hope and work for the approaching of God’s Kingdom.”

“This laws, and the work that lies behind it, has been over 4 years in development, with widespread consultation at every stage, and significant improvements to the proposals consequently; and the problems of Governance within the Church have only change into more acute during that period,” he said.