Diocesan Finances Review Update 2025

At the February 2025 General Synod, Carl Hughes, the Chair of the Archbishops’ Council Finance Committee, gave an update on the Diocesan Finances Review. 

The paper presented to the General Synod is here

A package of costed recommendations have been developed for consideration by the Archbishops’ Council as part of the Three Year Spending Plans of central Church endowment income for 2026-28.  The proposals include increasing Lowest Income Communities Funding (LInC) by 30%; providing time-limited additional financial support to dioceses as they pursue longer term strategies for growth and sustainability; abolishing Diocesan Apportionment (payments from dioceses into the central Church); streamlining the funding of ordination training and associated costs; increasing and standardising clergy stipends and pay policies; increasing the starting rate of pensions; and providing for more detailed work to address structural overheads, duplication and complexity.  The proposals recognise the immediate financial pressures on dioceses [it might have mentioned parishes!] and the need to ease this stress, whilst enabling change within a longer term mission, financial and people plan for sustainability and flourishing, as well as seeking to simplify complex, opaque and burdensome arrangements currently in place.
 
Some of the language is difficult to follow for the unfamiliar, but the general trend is to try to find more funding for parishes through increased LInC and improving stipend and pension for clergy.  Save The Parish is being heard.