MP Letter: Chancel Repair Liability

Abolish Chancel Repair Liability

Chancel repair liability (CRL) gives some Anglican churches the right to demand local property owners to make financial contributions towards repairs to its chancel. The liability applies even if they are not, and have never been, Christians.

The Church of England is sometimes able to demand payment for the full cost of repairs, which can run into hundreds of thousands of pounds. The presence of the liability on land blights properties and requires owners to take out insurance against the risk of the Church claiming the money.

CRL is a gross anachronism and an inequity that has no place in a 21^st century democracy. I therefore urge you to do all in your power to abolish CRL.

Please write to your MP and urge them to do all in their power to abolish chancel repair liability.

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Dear {{name}},

Please support the National Secular Society’s campaign to abolish chancel repair liability (CRL).

CRL gives some Anglican churches the right to demand local property owners to make financial contributions towards repairs to its chancel. The liability applies even if they are not, and have never been, Christians.

According to the Land Registry, property in around 5,300 parishes in England and Wales is subject to CRL. Not all affected property is close to the church.

The Law Commission as described the impact of CRL as "wholly capricious", and considered "that this relic of the past is … no longer acceptable". Its report concluded: "It is hard today to see any justification for this imposition". The Law Society has also recommended that CRL to be phased out. Even the Church’s General Synod overwhelmingly supported the abolition of CRL in 1982.

Despite all this, abolition has not taken place. This is because the Church has changed its mind and is not now willing to forgo any revenue to repair its many ancient churches, regardless of the unfairness, hardship and distress caused to many.

For more information, please see https://www.secularism.org.uk/chancel-tax.
CRL is a gross anachronism and an inequity that has no place in a 21st century democracy. I therefore urge you to do all in your power to abolish CRL.

Yours sincerely,

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MP Letter: Chancel Repair Liability

Abolish Chancel Repair Liability

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