The House of Good: Health

Churches are good for our health

For centuries, local churches have been pillars of community health. Churches founded some of the first hospitals, funded universities to train medical professionals, and delivered hands-on patient care.

From youth groups to food banks, drug and alcohol addiction support to mental health counselling, churches continue to offer a growing list of vital services for people in urgent need.

Our The House of Good: Health research shows that the UK’s churches take an immense amount of pressure off the NHS and provide essential support services that it would cost an extra £8.4 billion a year to deliver. This is equivalent to nearly 4% of UK health spending. It would be the same cost as employing 230,000 nurses.

But the UK’s church buildings are dangerously underfunded, with many in the most deprived areas falling into disrepair and facing closure. Without urgent support, we risk losing this shock absorber for the NHS, and a vital safety net for the most vulnerable people in our society.

The time to act is now.

Watch the video

Read the summary report

You can also read the full report here

Hear from churches doing amazing things

Churches right across the UK are providing essential services that would relieve the NHS of costs of £8.4 billion every year. Read about some of the community services they are providing – and what we could lose if more churches close.

A box of food being held by a pair of anonymous hands — LFT Charitable Trust

Food banks: providing urgent support for vulnerable people

There are more food banks than there are branches of McDonald’s in the UK today. The cost-of-living crisis and Covid 19 has left many people in need of additional support.

Three children play football — Marko Milivojevic

Youth groups: keeping young people connected and healthy

Many church buildings are venues for youth clubs and activities that bring young people together, combatting isolation, and keeping them active and healthy.

A brick church pictured from the far side of a road — Mark Anderson CC-BY-SA2.0

Mental health counselling: the power of parish nurses

Parish Nurses across the UK are providing holistic support to individuals and communities to stop people from falling through the gaps.

An image of a hospital overlaid by a scaffold of a church

Share about The House of Good: Health on social media

Help us to raise awareness of this report with your family, friends and colleagues so we can show the importance of church buildings. Please share the video or this website page on your social media channels to help keep church buildings open and in use.

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Churches are good for our health

Watch the video

Read the summary report

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