The Diocese of Leeds has created a small fund to support churches impacted by the ending of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme (LPWGS), and applications are now open.
At the end of January 2026, the government announced that the full budget of the LPWGS had been allocated and the scheme would close with immediate effect, instead of at the end of March 2026.
This early closure of the scheme has left some PCCs in financial difficulty, with works underway or completed but unable to reclaim the VAT.
To try and support parishes the diocese has created a small fund of around £40,000.
To be eligible for this fund, works must:
- Have been started before Tuesday, March 31 2026
- Fall into the eligible criteria for the LPWGS before it closed
- Not be the subject of a successful (full or partial) application to the LPWGS
Demand for this fund is expected to be high; therefore, applications will be considered by a grant panel and will be prioritised according to the circumstances of the parish.
Indices of multiple deprivation (IMD) will be taken into consideration but will not be the only measure of need (to discover IMD ranking of parishes please consult the Church of England Parish Map).
Churches are encouraged to explain the particular challenges of their parishes in detail in the application form.
This fund will be open for a single round only; the application deadline is Thursday, May 28.
The application form can be found here.
Completed application forms should be returned by email whenever possible, to Alena-rose.douglas@leeds.anglican.org.
Any hard copy applications should be addressed to Alena-Rose Douglas, Church Buildings Support Officer, Church House,17-19 York Place, Leeds, LS1 2EX.