Presbytery Update June 22

Contact your MSPs about support in Scotland following the end of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme

The UK-wide Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme has closed. For many congregations in Scotland, this means essential repairs and improvement projects for listed church buildings will become more expensive, placing further pressure on already stretched budgets.

Why now? The immediate question is what response the Scottish Government will make. A new Parliament is now in place, MSPs are taking up constituency and regional casework, and this is a good moment for congregations to raise the issue early and clearly with all of their representatives.

The UK Government has replaced the former scheme with the Places of Worship Renewal Fund for England only. It has also said that decisions about support in Scotland are now for the Scottish Government. Congregations are therefore encouraged to write to their MSPs — ideally to all eight of them.

As many people as possible should write. Individual messages from constituents usually carry more weight than a standard text, so office-bearers, members and church users are encouraged to write in their own words. If you have a local church meeting or a presbytery, diocesan, district or synod meeting coming up, you may wish to agree a short statement of concern and use it as the basis for individual messages.

If you are writing in a regional role, such as a Presbytery Clerk, Bishop, Superintendent, or as a member of a property or finance committee, consider writing to all MSPs whose constituencies and regions fall within the area you cover.

How to contact your MSPs:

Use the Scottish Parliament’s Find your MSP tool and enter your postcode, or the postcode of your church building. Everyone in Scotland is represented by 8 MSPs — 1 constituency MSP and 7 regional MSPs — and you are encouraged to write to all of them.

Email is usually the quickest and easiest route. If you prefer to write, the postal address for MSPs is: The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP. If an MSP holds a local surgery and you are able to attend, that can also be a useful way to raise the issue in person.

What to say:

We are not offering a template letter. MSPs are more likely to engage with messages that are personal, local and specific. Please explain the issue in your own words and include details about your congregation and building.

Three things to ask your MSPs to do:

1. Ask Scottish Ministers what support will be made available in Scotland following the closure of the UK-wide scheme.
2. Support the development of a practical Scottish funding route that recognises the heritage and community value of listed places of worship.
3. Visit your church building, or meet representatives of your congregation, to understand the local impact.

A short sample email opener:

I am writing as a constituent and as someone involved in [name of congregation/church] to ask for your support following the closure of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. This change will increase the cost of caring for our listed church building, which is both a place of worship and an important community space used by local people and organisations.

• Explain that the scheme has closed and that Scotland does not currently have an equivalent replacement.
• Describe your church building and why it matters locally, including its history, heritage value, and the worship and community activity it supports.
• Set out the practical impact. If you have current, recent or planned works, explain what the loss of VAT recovery means for cost and timing.
• If community groups, schools, charities or local organisations use your premises, mention this and give examples of the wider public benefit.
• Stress that listed churches are not only heritage assets but living spaces that serve communities through worship, hospitality, social action, support services and local partnerships.
• If appropriate, invite your MSP to visit your church building to see both its repair needs and its value to the wider community.

Follow up:

Please let the national office know if you have contacted your MSPs, and what response you receive. Write to the Parliamentary Officer, David Bradwell – dbradwell@churchofscotland.org.uk

If you do not receive a response after a reasonable interval, follow up politely. MSPs often receive a high volume of correspondence, and a brief reminder can be effective.

If other community groups or organisations use your church building, ask them if they will also write to their MSPs to explain how they value the space and how important it is to their work.

Further information:

As of June 2026, no replacement support for Scotland has been confirmed. The key issue now is what action the Scottish Government will take, which is why engagement with MSPs matters at this stage.

Churches and other faith groups in Scotland are in close contact with each other, and with partners in Wales who face a similar situation. There is broad agreement that church buildings are not only heritage assets but important spaces for community wellbeing and local service.

If you are currently undertaking works to a building, or have a project planned that will be affected by the end of the scheme, please contact your Presbytery Building Officer in the first instance for advice on options, timing and next steps.

The previous scheme has closed and there will be no further funding rounds. In Scotland, congregations may still wish to explore other funding routes where appropriate, but no direct replacement for the former VAT recovery scheme has yet been announced.

Finally, if you have any queries, please contact us using the details below.

Queries relating to contacting your MSPs: Parliamentary Officer, David Bradwell – dbradwell@churchofscotland.org.uk, queries relating to specific projects and buildings: gentrustees@churchofscotland.org.uk.