Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme: MPs calls for permanent funding and removal of cap

The CMS Committee is calling on the Government to make permanent the scheme which allows historic places of worship to reclaim VAT on the cost of repairs and refurbishment.

In a letter to Heritage Minister Baroness Twycross on the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, the Committee also calls for the removal of the £25,000 cap on individual claims and for the Government to review the scheme's overall budget.

The Committee took evidence last week as part of its protecting built heritage inquiry on the challenges religious communities encounter when maintaining churches and other buildings. The Church of England told the Committee of the risk to refurbishment projects given the uncertainty over the scheme's future beyond March next year, with the introduction of the cap in January further adding to instability.

Chair of the CMS Committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, said: “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 at risk of never getting off the ground. The Government needs to commit to the scheme by making it a permanent source of support and by lifting the cap, so historic places of worship can concentrate on the important work they do in our communities.”