A Lifeline for Sacred Spaces: Scotland Launches £1 Million Fund to Rescue Historic Churches

Church leaders across Scotland have welcomed the announcement of a new £1 million fund designed to help congregations repair and maintain the nation’s historic listed places of worship. The Scotland Places of Worship Fund, set to open in October 2026, will assist faith groups of all denominations in recovering VAT costs associated with essential repair works. The pilot scheme comes as a direct response to the closure earlier this year of the UK-wide Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which had provided more than £2 million in cost savings for Scottish places of worship in recent years. The Scottish Churches Leaders’ Forum and the Scottish Churches Committee had expressed disappointment over the lack of consultation before the closure of the national scheme, urging the Scottish Government to step in and prevent congregations from bearing the full financial burden of maintaining their historic buildings.

The new funding, which will be administered through the existing Historic Environment Scotland (HES) grants budget, has been praised as a vital intervention. Rt Rev Gordon Kennedy, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, expressed gratitude for the support, stating, “We know how difficult it is for communities to lose their place of worship and support for repairs and maintenance will help keep more places warm, wind and watertight, and it makes it just a wee bit easier for local volunteers to care for these historic assets.” The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, Rt Rev John Keenan, also welcomed the fund, calling it a recognition of “the vital contribution that churches and other places of worship make to Scotland’s heritage and community life.” Funding will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, with church leaders and congregations now preparing to apply for the much-needed support to preserve these cherished landmarks for future generations.

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