The Grade I listed St Mary Magdalene, Peckleton, dates from the 14th century. It received a grant of £25,000 from the National Churches Trust to fund urgent stone and roof repairs. (Photo: National Churches Trust)
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has said that, should her party win the next election, it would restore a funding scheme for historic churches.
The Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme was first established in 2001 and gave historic churches an exemption from paying VAT on repairs.
Before announcing the end of the scheme, the current government almost halved its budget to £23 million, meaning it ran out of money ahead of its formal closure at the end of March.
The scheme was replaced by the Places of Worship Renewal Fund, but the Church of England has warned that the change could mean “added pressure on local fundraisers and inevitably a drain on other sources of funding”.
The National Churches Trust called the scheme “a lifeline for historic churches” and said the changes put their future at risk.
Scottish church leaders also raised their objections last month, with the Church of Scotland’s Rosie Frew, saying, “The decision to end LPWGS will impact current repair projects as well as ending a scheme which has been vital over many years, and without will add further financial burdens to congregations and the Church as a whole.”
Posting on X over Easter, Badenoch said that restoring the fund was an indication that her party took Britain’s Christian heritage seriously.
“Britain is a Christian country. The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words,” she said.
Badenoch, who is herself an agnostic, said that churches represented community hubs and local pride, as well as being places of worship.
“It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever,” she said.
Support for Britain’s Christian heritage has recently become a more popular talking point among Britain’s right leaning political parties. As well as the Conservatives, both Reform UK and Restore Britain have spoken about the importance of the country’s Christian Heritage.
However, all parties are also led by people who have shown very minimal commitment to personal Christianity. Kemi Badenoch is an agnostic, Rupert Lowe has never publicly commented on whether he has any personal faith, while Nigel Farage appears to be an Anglican who rarely goes to church.
