The Government is being urged to extend a grant scheme that has helped the UK's listed churches weather the pandemic.

Ecclesiastical Insurance is calling for the Listed Places of Worship (LPW) scheme to be extended when the Budget is announced next week. 

The scheme makes grants towards the VAT incurred by listed churches on repair and alteration costs, but is due to come to an end on 31 March. 

The grants have enabled these historic churches to continue making vital repairs both internally and externally during the pandemic. 

Ecclesiastical said there had been "major shortfalls" in funding available to listed churches, many of which are expensive to maintain and rely on hosting events for income. 

The cancellation of events for much of the last year, combined with a drop in giving after the suspension of in-person services, has left some churches in financial hardship. 

Michael Angell, church operations director at Ecclesiastical, said: "It is vital that the government extends the Listed Places of Worship grant scheme beyond the deadline in March. This provides an important lifeline to so many churches and its absence would be another blow at this difficult and challenging time.

"The government is in a position whereby they can help churches to protect our wonderful heritage by extending this grant scheme. They recognise that there is huge amount of upkeep required to maintain our listed places of worship, which is why the scheme was created in the first place.

"Churches and the communities they serve have been heavily affected by the pandemic and the impact on places of worship, which are such a big part of the fabric of society, would jeopardise the future of not only much loved buildings, but the individuals who depend on them."