Financial Support for Clergy

Listed below are some sources of financial support both in and out of the Church.

• Ideas, advice and support for lay and ordained ministers can be found in our Flourishing in Ministry booklet.
• The Clergy Support Trust provides support to Anglican clergy (serving and retired), ordinands, and their families. There are a range of grants available and a simple eligibility checker that can be completed on their website. Read about how clergy in our diocese have benefitted in this article.
• Sons and Friends of the Clergy is a clergy support charity, established in 1655, which provides financial grants to Anglican clergy households in times of poverty, hardship or illness. Eligible beneficiaries include serving and retired Anglican clergy and their families, divorced and separated spouses and civil partners of eligible clergy, and widows, widowers and surviving civil partners of eligible clergy. Support is also currently provided to Anglican ordinands training for ministry in the UK.
• Churches' Mutual Credit Union (CMCU)  is a mutual society, a savings and loans co-operative owned and controlled by its members. Savings and Loan accounts are available to individuals who hold a recognised position within The Anglican Churches of Great Britain, The Church of Scotland, The United Reformed Church,The Methodist Church of Great Britain, The Catholic Church in England & Wales and The Catholic Church in Scotland in either a paid or voluntary capacity. This includes a wide variety of associations including lay or ordained ministers, church council members, elders, office staff and trustees of church charities including church schools. The CMCU are also able to offer accounts to household members of people who qualify and to retired ministers.
• The Henry Smith Charity, established in 1628 by a wealthy London businessman, makes a variety of grants, primarily to social welfare and disadvantaged groups. Beneficiaries include registered charities, community and Christian based organisations and individuals. The Trustees of the Charity also give the Bishop of Worcester discretion to award grants from the Charity to serving parochial clergy in the diocese. If you are looking for funding for a particular project, you may wish to apply directly to the Charity. If you are experiencing personal financial hardship, please contact Stuart Currie, Chaplain to the Bishop of Worcester. All correspondence will be received and handled with confidentiality.
• English Clergy Association provides grants areto make a significantly helpful contribution to clergy (and their family’s) enjoyment of human life.
• The Cleaver Ordination Candidates Fund supports Anglican ordinands committed to a traditional Catholic understanding of the priesthood and episcopate and offers grants to support candidates exploring a vocation to the priesthood, and undertaking a parish placement as part of this process
• Money Advice Service is a government website giving free, impartial advice on money matters including the steps to consider if facing divorce or separation.
• State Pension Entitlement This website will help you to calculate your state pension entitlement at retirement.
• Turn2us is a charitable service helping people access money available to them through welfare, benefits, grants and other help. It gives a wealth of information.
• Elizabeth Finn Trust may provide grants to those facing hardship and savings of under £16,000 or help with nursing home fees.
• The Foundation of Edward Storey may provide help, grants and accommodation or offer a number of services to those professionally connected to the Church of England - at the discretion of their Trustees.
• Adviceguide is the online help from Citizens Advice Bureau and provides information on your rights covering a range of topics.