‘Lost forever, all because of this new tax’: fears for UK church heritage as VAT relief ends

The UK government has ended the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, a 25-year program that allowed churches to reclaim VAT on repair and maintenance work. Heritage experts warn that this policy change, which effectively adds a 20% surcharge to conservation projects, is causing delays, reassessments, and cancellations of restoration work. Immediate casualties include the Peel Tower at St Cuthbert’s Church in Cumbria and Phoebe Anna Traquair’s 1905 murals at St Peter’s Church in Nottinghamshire, both of which face funding shortfalls due to the new tax burden.