Warning that Shropshire churches are among hundreds at risk
Fresh fears have been raised over the future of rural churches in Shropshire, with warnings that funding is set to dry up within months.
The Listed Places of Worship Grants Scheme (LPWGS), which helps fund vital repair and conservation work on historic churches, has faced major funding changes this year.
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Its full budget was cut by half in January, when a £25,000 cap on the VAT that each building can reclaim was also introduced.
Ahead of the Autumn Budget, South Shropshire MP Stuart Anderson urged Chancellor Rachel Reeves to restore the scheme's full £43 million annual budget. However, he is angered after the Chancellor made no mention of the scheme when delivering her statement.
Mr Anderson has warned that continued uncertainty and the new cap risks damaging confidence in the scheme, which has channelled more than £346 million into church repairs since its creation in 2010.
While most claims are for less than £5,000, Mr Anderson said repairs to major parish churches and cathedrals routinely far exceed the cap, with many large projects costing hundreds of thousands or even millions of pounds.
A new National Churches Trust survey stated that two in five churches are now at risk of closure, and that one in three is relying on reserves just to meet basic costs. It also found that rural churches are most vulnerable, with around 900 facing potential closure within the next five years.
Historic England’s latest Heritage at Risk Register also said almost 1,000 parish churches now require urgent attention, with 927 listed as at risk. In South Shropshire alone, the risk register includes 54 entries - including 20 churches and chapels.
Mr Anderson said: "Churches play a key role in supporting communities like South Shropshire. However, Historic England's latest Heritage at Risk Register reveals that almost a thousand of them are in need of urgent support.
"Investing in these churches would deliver significant benefits for residents. That is why I urged the Chancellor Rachel Reeves to scrap the cap on the Listed Places of Worship Grants Scheme which, since 2010, has enabled conservation projects that keep our historic churches open.
"The Government should also restore the £43 million annual budget that had been maintained under the previous government. This would give local churches the confidence needed to undertake projects that increase access, improve facilities, and continue serving local communities."
