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.

How you can get involved

Please help us to keep church buildings open. There are four actions you can take today.

CityofBristolREDCLIFFEStMary(IoanSaid&NCT)17.jpg — ©IoanSaid

Join our Every Church Counts campaign

With hundreds of churches facing closure, a national plan is urgently needed to help secure their future. We are calling on the UK Government, heritage organisations and Christian denominations to work together to tackle the UK’s single biggest heritage challenge.

Every Church Counts six-point plan is the starting point for a national conversation on the future of church buildings. And we would love you to be a part of it.

Find out more about Every Church Counts

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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PowysMALLWYDStTydecho(explorechurches.org)23 — ©ExploreChurches

Join as a Friend of the National Churches Trust

As a charity, we rely on donations to fund our vital research, as well as our wrap around support to keep churches open and in good repair. For as little as £3.50 a month, you can become a Friend of the National Churches Trust and join a movement of people that are protecting the UK’s church buildings – helping to keep them open and in use.

Join as a Friend