Heating your church this winter

Pews in a local church with a bible and hymn book in the foreground

Practical tips and financial support

Heating your church this winter

Reducing your church energy bills

While rises in energy bills are inevitable this winter, we hope these tips and suggestions will help churches use less energy and keep their energy bills under control:

  • The Cathedral and Church Buildings Department has prepared practical suggestions to help parishes save energy and money. You can download either the print version or interactive version.
  • This webinar recording on 'housekeeping and quick wins' discusses a range of ideas for reducing energy usage. To go deeper, explore the back catalogue of net zero carbon webinars.
  • The Church of England Environment programme offers a wide range of tools, case studies, webinars and videos to help churches reduce their carbon footprint. Many of these measures will also reduce their energy bills. 
  • Through its Net Zero Carbon Programme, the Church of England has allocated over £190 million over the next nine years to fund grants and projects to help churches, cathedrals, schools, clergy houses and other buildings to reduce carbon emissions. Many of these schemes will help churches to reduce energy bills. Please get in touch with your Diocese for more information. 

  • You can purchase things to help reduce your energy bills from Parish Buying - Net Zero 2030. Products offered include solar panels, pew heaters, heat pumps and LED light bulbs. Guidance sheets are also provided to cover the questions parishes need answered before they approach a supplier.

  • ChurchCare also produces information for churches on how to be more energy efficient.

Advice for meeting clergy household energy bills

This page on help with increases in everyday bills, written by the Pensions Board, is focussed on individuals, prepared with pensioners in mind but some aspects will help with clergy and lay workers.

For more details on help available locally within the Church, please get in touch with your Diocese.