Parish Share 2021

In November 2020 Sharon Kindleysides, diocesan secretary and chief executive wrote to parishes about parish share for 2021, in light of the significant challenges on parishes as a result of the Covid pandemic. She said, "2020 has been a year that none of us could have expected and I want to thank you personally for the considerable time and effort you have put in to supporting your Parishes through these challenging times. As a diocese, we are making every effort to walk alongside you through this crisis, we value the irreplaceable work that you do and don’t want you to feel that you are having to deal with the Covid pandemic alone."

She outlined the Parish Share Relief Scheme, which is funded entirely from Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF) reserves reserves, the diocesan budget agreed the steps the diocese is taking to make significant savings. You can download the letter below, along with further information about the diocesan budget and parish share breakdowns for 2021.

Methods of contribution

Over 60 per cent of parishes in the diocese now pay their parish share monthly by either direct debit or by standing order from their Central Board of Finance deposit fund account. In 2020, approximately 15 per cent of parishes chose to pay their parish share in full at the beginning of the year. As Matthew Pinnock, Head of Finance said in his letter of November 2020, "It would be greatly appreciated if you would consider adopting one of these payment methods in 2021."

The advantages of paying by direct debit for PCCs

No cheque to draw, no letters to write and no postage
For those who already pay by direct debit, no need to complete new mandates each year
Assurance that the correct amount of Parish Share has been paid on time
Lower bank charges.

The advantages of paying by direct debit for the DBF

A regular and certain cash flow. This is very important if the Board is to meet its monthly outgoings without recourse to the bank overdraft facilities.
Lower bank charges.

The Scheme

The PCC signs a direct debit mandate giving authority to the Board to collect agreed parish share collections direct from its bank or building society current account. The Board will provide the PCC Treasurer with a schedule detailing the amount to be collected at least 20 days in advance of the first due date.

Control

Some treasurers are reluctant to use direct debit because they feel they are relinquishing control over PCC funds. This is not the case. As the guarantee states, a direct debit can be cancelled at any time by a letter to its bank with a copy to the board.

All the necessary forms to help you pay by these methods are available to download below.