Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending the Places of Worship Renewal Fund to allow for VAT costs on repairs and maintenance to be reclaimed.

The Places of Worship Renewal Fund opened in May 2026 and awards grants for capital works, rather than just the VAT element of a project. Where capital grants have been awarded, VAT on eligible works and costs can be covered by the grant funding if it cannot be reclaimed.

The Department’s evaluation of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which allowed for VAT costs on repairs and maintenance to listed places of worship to be reclaimed, showed that 80% of respondents said that they would still have carried out the work without the rebate. The new scheme adopts a more targeted approach to those places that most need support.