Petition Government to maintain VAT relief on repairs for historic churches

We urgently call on the Government to maintain the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme (LPWGS) and VAT relief on church repairs. Not doing so, we believe, adds a 20% tax burden on struggling congregations, threatening historic churches and signalling reduced support for Christian institutions.

More details

The LPWGS, which has provided £300m+ since 2014 to cover VAT on repairs, ended on March 31, 2026 after its final £23m was spent. A new £92m fund over four years, limited to England and competitive, falls short of what is needed. We believe historic churches will as a result face financial strain, risking closures, neglect, and loss of heritage.

Sign this petition

96 signatures

Show on a map the geographical breakdown of signatures by constituency

10,000 signatures required to get a government response

At 10,000 signatures...

At 10,000 signatures, government will respond to this petition

At 100,000 signatures...

At 100,000 signatures, this petition will be considered for debate in Parliament

Share this petition