Churches may be allowed to re-open for collective worship from 4 July

A senior Government minister has suggested churches may be able to resume collective worship from July 4.

After the Government announced churches could open for private prayer from 15 June, faith minister Lord Greenhalgh told a webinar hosted by the Religion Media Centre that his taskforce was now looking at how to open all places of worship for collective worship and other larger gatherings, like weddings.

He said the "earliest possible moment" for this to happen would be 4 July, although he said that not all faith groups would be able to meet this timeline.  

The Government has been hosting virtual round tables with faith leaders on how to re-open places of worship safely after months of lockdown due to coronavirus. 

Lord Greenhalgh said that new guidance would be published after a taskforce meeting and further faith round tables this week. 

"This is the earliest date it can happen," he said. "It is not definitively the date. We have to be ready but it is at the discretion of individual places of worship whether they think it can be safe."

Asked whether financial support would be available for churches whose income has suffered as a result of Covid-19, he said: "There is the importance of putting arms around business but also of supporting faith. We are looking for opportunities to do that."