The Church of England has an annual income of £1.41 billion, more than half of which was from donations by parishioners, according to a new report.

This is reported by the Mail as higher than McDonald's in the UK and three times as much as Starbucks.

The overview of the finances of the established church's 12,000 parishes, 44 dioceses, 41 cathedrals and three central church bodies includes income from the £6 billion investment fund of the Church Commissioners. But this makes up less than 15 per cent of the total, of which 67 per cent comes from parishes. 

The report shows the astonishing continuing generosity of people in the pews. 

Carol Fletcher, church financial planner, said: "Through our investments, trading income and of course the generosity of parishioners, we have been able to continue in our mission to be a Christian presence in every community."

Expenditure in 2013 was slightly higher than income, at just under £1.43 billion. Just over half of this was on clergy stipends, clergy housing and parishes, and cathedral operating costs. The church committed 13 per cent of total expenditure on caring for its buildings.