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Help save our church heritage

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Protecting church heritage for the future is our biggest challenge. Nearly 1000 historic churches in England need repairs so urgently they’ve been officially designated as 'At Risk'. To see how serious things can get, look north of the border at Scotland, where the Church of Scotland is planning to close 30-40 percent of its churches, or Wales, where up to half of churches could close. At the National Churches Trust we do what we can, but we need your help.

We are the UK's leading church heritage charity, working in every part of the UK to keep churches open and in use. From our grants to our free in person and online support and training, we provide 'wrap-around-care' for church buildings of all denominations. We help put churches on the map by working with tourism organisations and promoting church tourism and our research showing the importance of church buildings has been widely quoted in parliament.

 

About the National Churches Trust

  • Over 2000 churches, chapels and meeting houses

    We've helped keep open, in good repair and supporting local people since 2007.

  • £ 2.8 million awarded in 2024

    To churches, chapels and meeting houses for urgent repairs, new facilities and essential maintenance to help keep these buildings open.

  • 7 churches and chapels

    Removed from the Heritage at Risk Register in 2024 with the support of our grants.

How you can help

Please donate to help save the UK's church heritage. Your money will go towards our work helping churches, chapels and meeting houses in all four nations to stay open in good repair. Thank you.

Please donate
Tundergarth Church
Anna Michal CC-By-SA2.0

Lockerbie church almost forced to close

On 21 December 1988, when Pan Am Flight 103 was blown up over Lockerbie, it was Tundergarth Church that was the base for the police and Army. The funeral services of several victims took place there and three were laid to rest in the churchyard. Last year marked 35 years since the attack. People from around the world still come to Tundergarth to pay respects to those who died. More than 50,000 have signed the visitors’ book at the remembrance centre. But all of this could have been lost forever. The church was in such poor condition that water was leaking through the roof and plasterwork was crumbling. Parts of the building were hazardous. Hundreds of thousands of pounds of repairs were needed to keep it open. Thankfully, the National Churches Trust has been able to help the church out with a grant for urgent repairs, so this building can stay open as a church and memorial space.

NottinghamshireNEWARKONTRENTStMaryMagdalene(julianpguffoggCC-BY-SA2.0)1
JulianPGuffogg

Newark church struggling to see a way forward

St Mary Magdalene in Newark is one of the oldest parish churches in Britain with some of the oldest stained glass - dating back centuries. They’re in desperate need of £3 million for repairs and the interiors are in danger. Recent changes by the Government to the Listed of Places Worship Grants Scheme has left this church struggling to find a way forward. Newark was fiercely contested in the English Civil War. It endured three sieges in support of the King. The church was at the centre of this. It survived the English Civil War, but now it’s fighting for its survival. We gave a grant to support St Mary Magdalene last year and are supporting the church as they grapple with what the changes to the scheme might mean for them.

Please help protect church heritage

A donation could help us to keep a historic church open and in use. Please consider donating to the National Churches Trust today to help us save churches for future generations to enjoy.

Please donate

Recent campaigns to help keep churches open and in use

National Churches Trust staff with Canon Barry English outside St Illtyd Grade II Listed Church in Dowlais, Wales.

The Listed Places of Worship Grants Scheme

Introduced in 2001 by Gordon Brown when he was Chancellor, it allows listed places of worship to reclaim VAT for repairs on their building. It has been renewed by every Government ever since, and over 13,000 churches have benefitted. Without it, churches would be forced to have to raise 20% more to cover the cost of repairs and pay that to the Treasury. But recent Government decisions has left this this scheme in jeopardy; we are concerned by what these changes mean to churches and need your help to save the scheme.

Three graphics in a row on a red background

The House of Good: Health

Our research shows that the UK’s churches take an immense amount of pressure off the NHS and provide essential support services that it would cost an extra £8.4 billion a year to deliver. It would be the same cost as employing 230,000 nurses. But the UK’s church buildings are dangerously underfunded, with many in the most deprived areas falling into disrepair and facing closure. Without urgent support, we risk losing this shock absorber for the NHS, and a vital safety net for the most vulnerable people in our society.

Let’s stay in touch.

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