The latest news about church heritage including how to save it, things to look out for and interesting places to visit. You'll also find stories from churches, chapels and meeting houses from across the UK sharing about the wonderful ways they are keeping their buildings open and in use.
On the 22 January 2026, the UK Government confirmed the end of Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. It will be replaced by a £92 million four-year-fund called the Places of Worship Renewal Fund. Read our analysis below – on what’s been revealed so far, and what must happen for the scheme to be successful in keeping churches open and in use.
New data from Historic England shows that the public are largely unaware of who foots the bill for church repairs. Churches across the country are struggling with their repair bills alone – the wider public does not understand the scale of the crisis and what’s causing it. It is all happening under the radar, which means that by the time people realise their local church has a huge repair bill and is closing, it can be too late to save it. Find out more about the new polling and what you can do to help.
Through our latest round of grants, we can reveal that more than £900,000 has been awarded to churches, chapels and meeting houses across the country, to keep these magnificent buildings open and in use. And we couldn’t do it without our Friends, donors, those who leave a legacy to the National Churches Trust, and our partner organisations. Thank you for supporting churches, so that they can keep the doors open. Read more about the churches helped to stay open.
The future of Wales' precious heritage could be lost if action is not taken. Around 25 per cent of historic chapels and churches have closed in the last decade. Find out what the National Churches Trust is doing on the ground to support places of worship in Wales.
Saving a roof safeguards the rest of a building: paintings, monuments, tombs, tiles, metalwork, woodwork, walls, floors, bells, organs. Saving a roof enables vital work to carry on. According to our National Churches Survey, as many as 3,850 churches, chapels, and meeting houses need an urgent roof repair in the next twelve months. This is a cultural and community crisis, affecting the longevity of heritage treasures, and also meaning good works cannot continue. Food banks cannot run if the roof is falling in. Rough sleepers can’t be cared for. Mum and toddler groups will shut.
As a champion of volunteers, Shirley Adams JP (Justice of Peace) made a huge difference to communities across the UK. We want to share our gratitude for Shirley and everything she did in support of churches and the people who keep them going. Her dedicated work as a Trustee of the National Churches Trust shows how one person can create change. Find out more about Shirley and the lasting legacy she leaves behind.
We’re here to help churches stay open and in use – that’s what we do. Thanks to our Friends, donors, and partner organisations together we have helped keep the doors open at over 80 churches, chapels and meeting houses in our latest round of grants. That is almost £1 million given to local places of worship through grants that are designed to protect important heritage, repair urgent issues and help the church better serve the needs of their community.
St Hubert’s has outlasted Idsworth, the village it used to serve. 500 years of human habitation gone without a trace. But the church endured. St Hubert's survived the plague, but just recently, its future started to look more uncertain. Find out the fate of this historic church, and how you can keep churches open for future generations to enjoy.
This year marks 37 years since the deadliest terror attack on UK soil. But the memories of the victims are being kept alive – thanks to a local church.
Churches are not just for worship; these buildings are often the greatest storytellers in the area. They have witnessed events of local and national significance, but they have also been shaped by the people who have connected with them too. However, some of these stories can get lost over time. One church in Lincolnshire decided it was time for them to be told – and found a creative way of doing it.
Historic England has released new research which shows that there is strong public support for preserving the nation’s historic churches. This was even the case among people who are secular or who do not attend church services. But why does this matter now?
The details of the Spending Review have been announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. The Department of Culture, Media & Sport [DCMS] has been given its budget for the next three years. One choice DCMS must now make is whether to fund the Listed Places of Worship Grants Scheme – a scheme that has so far saved over 13,000 churches but now faces an uncertain future.
