Facilities: fit for today’s communities

Since 2010, thousands of churches have taken significant steps to improve accessibility and usability. What emerges from the National Churches Survey is how in the last 15 years, churches have been working hard to make their spaces practical as well as spiritual, and open to as many as possible. Running water, modern heating, accessible toilets, and safe kitchens are not luxuries, but the minimum expected by people who use these places for worship, community meals, youth groups, or local events. 

In recent years, the addition of Wifi has transformed how some churches open their doors, allowing them to connect with younger generations, host hybrid events, and support everything from language workshops to online learning. 

Progress has often depended on the dedication of volunteers and the availability of funds. But these changes are not just compliance measures, they are about keeping buildings welcoming and relevant for the communities that use them. 

The bar chart below compares 2010 to 2025 responses to questions about church facilities.

Everyday essentials

Everyday facilities are now significantly more widespread than in 2010. While the National Churches Survey shows there is near-universal access to mains electricity (99%), there are gaps between rural and urban churches in the overall provision of everyday essentials, with only 76% of rural churches being supplied by mains water compared to 99% in urban areas and 98% in suburban areas.

Hospitality remains a defining feature of churches around the country. 82% of churches have tea–making facilities and almost two thirds (64%) have a kitchen or servery, though again rural churches report lower provision (46%) compared to urban ones (85%) and suburban churches (79%). These kitchens are not just for after-service refreshments – they make possible community meals, toddler groups, managing foodbank distribution, and countless other gatherings where people find companionship and support. Also, baby changing facilities are now present in nearly six in ten (57%) churches, making them more welcoming for families. 

Some churches have gone further, adding shops (9%) and heritage information points (33%). While these figures remain relatively low, they reveal an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to keep buildings relevant – and a possible future direction for others to follow. 

The past fifteen years have seen a quiet transformation in how churches connect. Digital infrastructure was not measured in 2010, but in this Survey almost six in ten churches (58%) report having Wifi. Of these, two–thirds of urban churches (83%) and 73% of suburban ones are connected. In cities and towns, Wifi is now almost as important as heating or lighting, enabling livestreamed services, hybrid worship, online bookings and digital giving. In rural areas however, only 37% say they have Wifi, and this lack of connectivity risks making churches feel less accessible. 

Digital access is not just about worship, but about sustainability and inclusion. More than four in ten churches (42%) now accept contactless donations, and many use Wifi to support online ticketing, concerts, cafés or community markets. Connectivity also strengthens secular use: groups can run presentations, courses and film nights; choirs and youth clubs can share events online; local charities can base activities in well-connected spaces. Reliable internet allows churches to serve as both heritage landmarks and modern hubs, bridging the needs of today’s communities with the stories of the past, and making them indispensable to civic as well as spiritual life.