Clergy Charities

Diocesan Support

There are two historic charities to which clergy, clergy widows, clergy children and clergy orphans can apply for financial assistance in times of need. The contact for both charities is the Diocesan Glebe and Investments Officer, Jon Green, c/o the Ely Diocesan Board of Finance (EDBF) office (01353 652726).

Charity for the relief of poor widows and children or clergymen within the county of Huntingdon (originally formed by act of Parliament in 1774).

"The objective of the Charity is the relief of widows and orphans of clergymen in the Church of England who have served in the archdeaconry of Huntingdon”.

  • The trustees believe that by being able to offer direct financial support to the widows and orphans of clergy they are able to reduce the worries and stress of serving clergy concerned about the long term financial stability of their families.
  • In doing so the trustees believe they are both demonstrating an ongoing commitment to the families of those who wish to devote their lives to the service of the Church of England, whether through ordination or by lay service, and also assisting the individual serving priests and lay workers to focus on their vocation of serving not only those who regularly attend church services and activities but the wider public in their parishes.
  • The trustees meet once a year.

Ely and Wisbech Clergy Widows and Orphans Charity (originally formed by act of parliament in 1790).

“The principal objective of the Charity is to provide financial benefit to the widows and orphans of clergymen who had served in the area of benefit and their dependants. If funding allows the trustees are able to apply any remaining income first for the relief of Clergy serving in the area of benefit and their dependants who are “in conditions of need”. Second for the relief of full time lay workers who are in conditions of need and their dependants serving in the area of benefit”.

  • The trustees meet twice a year.

Other Support

The Church of England Welfare Benefits Adviser will be pleased to give advice about welfare benefits.

  • Contact Elena Benato, the Church of England Pensions Board-Housing, 29 Great Smith Street, London. SW1P 3PS. Telephone: 020 7898 1831 (direct); 0209 78981824 (switchboard).

The Harry and Katy Pollard Trust

  • Aims & activities: The object of The Harry and Katie Pollard Trust is to apply the income for relief of clergy widows and the unmarried daughters of deceased clergy, aged over 50 years.
  • What the charity does: General charitable purposes; The prevention or relief of poverty; Religious activities
  • Who the charity helps: Elderly/old people’; People with disabilities; Other defined groups How the charity works: Makes grants to individuals.

Society for the Relief of Poor Clergy

The Society for the Relief of Poor Clergy (SRPC) has funds to assist the following:

  • Evangelical clergy of the Church of England, the Church in Wales, the Church of Ireland and the Scottish Episcopal Church.
  • Evangelical accredited lay workers (those who have been nationally selected, trained and licensed for Anglican ministry, and Church Army officers who have been commissioned and hold the Bishop’s licence)
  • Widows and widowers of the above Grants are made to help meet the following categories of need, and the Trustees have the discretionary power to consider other circumstances, but only where these are giving rise to exceptional hardship. The Society's resources are limited, and grants may therefore have to be refused even where the required conditions have been fulfilled:
  • bereavement
  • illness
  • family support to enable young people to participate in a ‘ministry experience’ during a gap year before university.
  • family support to enable children/young people of evangelical ministers to attend Christian camps, for their spiritual benefit and to develop leadership potential.
  • other special needs (at the Committee's discretion).

Grants are not normally given for school fees, but may be given for special tuition, and for other costs associated with the expense of education, or towards travel expenses. The Trustees meet in March, May and October to consider applications.

Those interested are required to complete an application form, which should be returned to the Secretary, preferably by email. An application form and further information can be found on the web site. http://www.srpc-aid.com Contact details for enquiries, information and applications: secretary@srpc-aid.com, 07962 227959

Church of England - Help with increases in everyday bills

Further Retired Clergy Charities

The Churches Mutual Credit Union

  • The Churches Mutual Credit Union is a fully ecumenical collaboration between the Church in Wales, the Church of England, the Church of Scotland, the Methodist Church of Great Britain, the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, and in Scotland, the Scottish Episcopal Church and the United Reformed Church.
  • It is a credit union serving clergy, licensed lay ministers, church trustees and church employees. It has been operating since February 2015 and Anglican clergy are the major part of the membership. Churches Mutual took over the Church Commissioner’s car loan scheme, and over the past 7 years has lent £10m to assist clergy purchase ‘large ticket items’ and spread the peaks and troughs of expenditure.
  • It also offers specialist loans for those coming up to retirement who need to access part of their lump sum and Consolidation Loans for those with a number of loans at high rates of interest. The CMCU understands clergy and clergy finances and is there to help.
  • Churches Mutual is a member owned cooperative and any surplus is returned to members by way of dividend on their savings. Credit Unions exist for the benefit of the people who use them. They are mutual, not-for-profit organisations therefore the only shareholders they have to satisfy are the savers and borrowers. It is a simple method of circulating money for the benefit of all who belong to the credit union.
  • Churches Mutual Credit Union is authorised and regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority and deposits are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
  • Find out more here - https://churchesmutual.co.uk
Page last updated: Friday 10th March 2023 6:27 AM
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