We are urging Church members to sign an online petition calling on the Government to reconsider their proposal.
An unexpected provision of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's budget is that from 1st October 2012, 20% VAT is to be charged on alterations and improvements to listed church buildings. This will have a severe and adverse affect on PCC projects to improve buildings, including the basic necessities of kitchens and lavatories.
Already, the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, on behalf of The Archbishop's Council; the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Tony Baldry MP; and the Chair of the Church Buildings Council, Anne Sloman have all written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to ask for alteration and improvement works to churches to remain zero rated.
Sign the e-petition
The Church Buildings Council have organised an e-petition to enable Church members to register their desire for church buildings to continue to be zero rated for VAT.We encourage everyone to sign the e-petition by 4th May.
The e-petition can be signed online now at: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/32229
Write to your MP
In our diocese, Bishop John, Bishop David and Robert Higham will be writing to the MPs with constituencies in the Diocese of Worcester to ask for their support in keeping church buildings zero-rated for VAT. We would encourage individual church members to write to their MP with the request to keep listed church buildings zero-rated for alterations and improvements.
Please see also the
Diocesan Website for further information about this.
