Report shows churches’ economic and social value
‘House of Good’ a report published last week by the National Churches Trust, quantifies for the very first time the economic and social value of all church buildings to the UK.
And it’s not just the bricks and mortar, but the welfare and wellbeing they create in our communities.
Mount Merrion Church in our diocese was one of five churches from Northern Ireland chosen to be part of the case study.
The ground–breaking report demonstrates that the total economic and social value that church buildings generate in the UK is at least £12.4 billion per year which averages around £300,000 per church. That is roughly equal to the total NHS spending on mental health in England in 2018.
The statistics also demonstrate that, at a conservative estimate, every £10 invested in church buildings creates a return of at least £37.40.
The National Churches Trust said:
“From foodbanks to credit unions, churches across the UK provide a growing list of essential services for people in urgent need.
“We’ve long seen the power of churches to bring communities together and help them thrive. But we’ve never been able to measure it.
“We believe that these findings are remarkable. They show that our churches are not just Houses of God. They are also Houses of Good – good that we risk losing if church buildings are not kept in good repair, and may never be able to replace.”
Visit the House of Good website to find out more and download the report.