Closure of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme
This will seriously affect the costs of our 20/20 project
In late January 2026, the UK Government announced the closure of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which had allowed VAT to be reclaimed on repairs to listed places of worship, at the end of March 2026.
This announcement was unexpected and will impact current projects as well as ending a scheme which has been vital over many years, and without it will add further burdens on the future.
The UK Government has announced a replacement grant scheme for England only. The Scottish Government have not been informed about the details of this change or whether any additional funding (allocated through the Barnett Formula) would be available.
The Church of Scotland is actively engaged in dialogue with the UK and Scottish Governments, and with ecumenical partners across Britain to seek further information and to satisfactorily resolve the situation.
By far the most effective way to influence government plans of this type is for as many people as possible to email (or write) to their MP, and below we give you all you need to know for you to do this yourself, with suggestions of what you might say - we must take this chance to try to save our church possibly thousands of pounds.
Our MP is Graham Leadbitter and his email address is:
graham.leadbitter.mp@parliament.uk
or if you write a letter, write to:
Graham Leadbitter MP,
9 Wards Road
Elgin
IV30 1NL
An example letter might be something like this (varying the text is a good idea to make each letter more individual):
Dear Graham Leadbitter,
I am deeply concerned to learn of the closure of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme and I fear our Grade B listed Inverallan Church in Grantown on Spey will be severely affected by this.
Our congregation is just, after 10 years of planning and preparatory work, beginning work on a major project (likely to cost well into 7 figures) to make our building suitable for 21st century worship. Arguably even more important is that we hope the building, the largest venue in Strathspey, will become a centre for community activities in Grantown on Spey and the wider area.
I quite understand the budgetary constraints facing local and national government, but the importance of such a building as ours to our rural area really can't be overstated. If we are unable to undertake this work to make our church building economically viable, the Church of Scotland will dictate that it, like many others before it, will have to close.
I understand there is to be a new fund for England only, and it seems that the Government has not
consulted with the devolved governments. We have no information on any implications for the Barnett Formula over this, and I understand the Scottish Government has not been consulted.
I would ask that you pass on our concerns to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Treasury, and the Scotland Office.
Yours faithfully,
More information about all this, with suggestions for what to write, can be found here: