VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Religious Buildings: Repairs and Maintenance

Asked by Lee PitcherLabourDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled Answered 16 March 2026UIN 118614

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the ability of places of worship to reclaim VAT on repairs and maintenance works following the replacement of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme with the Places of Worship Renewal Fund.

Answered by Ian Murray

The Department has not made an assessment of the ability of places of worship to reclaim VAT following the ending of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme.

The Places of Worship Renewal Fund will have a budget of £23 million per year. The Places of Worship Renewal Fund will award grants for projects to cover capital works, rather than just the VAT element of a project, as is the case with the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. In some cases the amount granted could be greater than just the VAT element currently funded.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim