Historic England is providing grants for urgent repairs and essential capital works to keep active, listed places of worship safe, open, and serving their communities.
The
Places of Worship Renewal Fund (PWRF) is a competitive grant scheme launched by the UK Government to support urgent repairs and essential improvements for listed places of worship across England.
Funded by the
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and administered by
Historic England, the fund targets capital works that keep these important community buildings safe, open, and in active public use.
Launched in May 2026, and running till 2030, the scheme has
Small, Medium and Large Grants available to support urgent repairs and essential improvements
for ANY active place of worship, open to any faith or denomination.
Because the PWRF is a highly competitive fund, Historic England are especially
interested in prioritising applications based on:
- Urgent Repairs: Projects focusing on urgent fabric repairs, structural conservation, or essential improvements (such as heating, electrical upgrades, toilets, or step-free access).
- Targeted Need: Buildings located in areas of high deprivation or areas with the greatest economic need for investment.
- Community Benefit: Projects that preserve or expand the building's public and community use.
To
apply for a grant, Historic England ask that applicants meet the following strict requirements:
- Geography: The building must be located in England only
- Heritage Status: The building should be recognised as a listed place of worship.
- Active Use: It must be an active place of worship, open to any faith or denomination.
- Project Scope: Capital works must focus on urgent fabric repairs, structural conservation, or essential improvements (such as heating, electrical upgrades, toilets, or step-free access).
Historic England say they evaluate applications through a two-stage process that begins with an Expression of Interest (EOI) followed by a full application.
The deadline for the next round of EOI process is 27th September 2026, with more dates to be announced in later seasons.
Further
details and how to apply can be found by visiting the Historic England
website.