Records and Information Management

The records management guides have been researched and produced by records and archive management specialists at the National Church Institutions. They have used expert advice from the National Archives, local record offices and the wider records management and archive profession. Input has also been received from over 70 users from across the Church.

The guides are designed to help parishes, dioceses, bishops and cathedrals develop a consistent and best practice approach to looking after church records in their care, whether paper or electronic.

The guides are being reviewed and updated, and new guides will be published when they have been produced.

Updating these guides would not be possible without the input of the Church of England Information Management Working Group – a group of volunteers from across the Church, including from Cathedrals, Minsters, Bishop’s Offices, Diocesan Boards, and Parishes. We are always looking for volunteers to add to this work. For further information, email [email protected].

Records retention schedules

• The Church of England Records Retention Schedule (Excel, 16 May 2025) is the recommended best practice for use by the Church of England.
• Guide to using the Church of England Records Retention Schedule (Word, 16 May 2025)
• This safeguarding records retention schedule (approved by the National Safeguarding Team – Senior Leadership, 5 March 2024) has been specifically developed to cover all safeguarding records for the NCIs and the wider Church. It is also included in the Church of England Records Retention Schedule.

Relevant policies

The House of Bishops has approved guidance for bishops regarding the content, management and sharing of clergy personal files, also known as 'blue files'.

Archives

There is no single place in which records of the Church of England are held - this is very much a result of the way the Church has developed over the centuries and a question of capacity and resources. The Church of England’s archived records are therefore widely dispersed.

The records of the National Church Institutions – the administrative bodies of the Church – are deposited at Lambeth Palace Library.

The Archbishops’ archives are held by Lambeth Palace Library for the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York for the Archbishop of York.

Unlike many of the church bodies, Cathedrals and Minsters may hold their records in their own archive. This is not always the case; some have a relationship with a local Archive (see below). Therefore, the best source of information for Cathedral and Minsters records is the relevant Cathedral or Minster.

Episcopal, Bishop’s Offices, Diocese and Parish records are deposited at the Local Records Office for the Diocese. A list of these archives is on the National Archives website.