​The Common Fund allows the London Diocese to put a vicar in nearly every parish. It pays their wages, their pension, their housing, their training and it even pays for the training of a parish’s next vicar.​

 

What is it?

The Common Fund is money given by congregations in every parish in the Diocese of London. It is collected from rich and poor parishes, to provide and support clergy, and to further our work in every parish, across London. That is why our contributions are called the ‘Common Fund’; they are made by everyone, for everyone. Generous giving by congregations enables the Diocese to live out the 2030 Vision; to maintain ministry and enable mission in all parts of the Diocese of London.

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The Common Fund is about every parish seeing itself as part of the big picture and giving generously and sacrificially. This means parishes are able to help fund work and worship in places where people contribute to the big picture in amazing ways but do not have the financial resources to meet the cost of ministry. It is how we express being one body by doing more together than we could ever do alone.

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Why we need to contribute?

We need to contribute to Common Fund:

• to enable the Church to work throughout London as a sign of our commitment to proclaim Christ’s Gospel

• to share our resources with our fellow Christians because we recognise the importance of our Church’s mission for the future

• in thanks for God’s generosity towards us because we believe wholeheartedly in our Christian faith.

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Diocesan finances

Briefly, money comes in from:- parishes (Common Fund), rents, investments and donations. The Diocese then spends it on:

• paying parish clergy, including pension, NI, Council Tax

• housing for clergy

• training for new priests and existing clergy

• giving to other less well-off dioceses in England

• developing lay ministry

• supporting parishes in many other ways

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What is the average cost of a parish?

The basic running costs of the parish; heating, lighting, insurance, repairs, services etc; are paid for by the congregation. On top of this, supporting one full time priest in a parish and contributing a fair share of the costs of other activities is estimated to amount to around £99,980 per parish for 2025.

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​A breakdown of the costs for a parish priest for 2025:

​Stipend, Pension & NI, Retirement Housing, Council Tax        £45,181  (45%)

Clergy Housing                                                               £28,820  (24%)

Training & Support                                                           £30,922  (31%)

 

Your can find out more about the common fund in the following links:

Common Fund | Diocese of London

2025-Parish-Standard-Cost-guide-1.pdf

2025 PCC Guide to Common Fund.docx

2025 Common Fund Presentation.pptx

Who decides how much a parish contributes?

​Each parish’s PCC decides.

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Each parish is told the costs of keeping its clergy and its share of other costs. The PCC makes an offer based on its knowledge of its own finances and diocesan finances. The generous offer reflects the parish’s ability to give as well as how much it costs to run the parish.

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Not all parishes can give this full amount, so the generosity of past generations supports parishes that cannot meet their full costs. However, this inheritance is limited, so for the Church to continue to be present in poor and deprived areas of London, as well as in rich areas, the less well-off, poor parishes depend on their own generous, committed and sacrificial as well as some giving by better-off parishes.

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What happens if the Diocese doesn’t receive enough Common Fund?

In past years when contributions to the Common Fund have not been sufficient there have been reductions in clergy and lay posts. In some parishes, self-supporting clergy have been appointed, or two parishes have been put together.

This may have to happen again if sufficient funds are not available. Selling property and reducing central costs never provides a long term solution to a lack of income.

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