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PCC stands for ‘Parochial Church Council’ The group that has the responsibility for managing the financial and legal responsibilities of the parish. Members of the PCC consist of the churchwardens, treasurers and secretaries.
The APCM is the Annual Parochial Church Meeting. Actually it comprises of two meetings the ‘Vestry Meeting’ which elects the Church Wardens for the coming year and the APCM itself which is the business meeting of the Church. It’s a meeting we’re legally required to have and must take place before the 31st May each year. The meeting is only open to members of the Church electoral roll, and those present vote on the appointment of PCC members, Deanery Synod representatives once every 3 year or when there is a vacancy and to accept the audited accounts of the Church.
For more guidance on APCM as well as form templates please visit the parish resources website
Each year, clergy, Churchwardens, PCC members and volunteers across our diocese faithfully complete their Parish Returns. We know it isn’t anyone’s favourite task, at times it can feel administrative, repetitive, or even a little daunting. But behind the spreadsheets and forms lies something far more meaningful, a picture of hope, faithfulness, and the shared story of our life together as the Church of England in this place.
Parish Returns allow us to see where God is already at work. They shine a light on new ministries emerging, congregations growing in confidence, and communities being served in Christ’s name. When viewed across the diocese, these numbers help us celebrate what is flourishing and learn from one another’s good news. Hope is often found in the small things, and Parish Returns help make those moments visible.
We are called to be good stewards of all that God has entrusted to us, people, creation, buildings, finances, and opportunities. Accurate information helps the diocese understand where support is most needed, how resources can be allocated fairly, and how we can ensure ministry remains sustainable for the future. The information resources projects like Cornerstone a brilliant resource that you’ll be hearing more about this year. Far from being a bureaucratic exercise, all Parish Returns are a practical expression of our collective care for the Church today and for generations yet to come.
By tracking trends year on year, we can see changes clearly, whether in attendance, giving, volunteer capacity, or community engagement. This helps parishes plan realistically, celebrate growth, understand challenges, and explore new possibilities. Good data strengthens good decision making, and it equips us to respond faithfully to the mission and ministry God is calling us into.
When your parish submits its return, it becomes part of a wider, diocesan wide, and indeed national, picture. Every church, from the smallest rural chapel to the largest town centre congregation, plays a vital role in telling the story of the Church of England today. Your contribution matters, and we are deeply grateful for the care you take in providing it.
We know the process can sometimes feel burdensome, and we want to thank you, truly, for taking the time to complete your returns faithfully each year. Your effort strengthens our shared ministry, supports others, and helps us move into the future with clarity, honesty, and hope.
Further details and support resources for 2026 are available below, including a helpful FAQ video from The Church of England. If you have any questions or need help with the process at any stage, please do get in touch, we are here to support you.
Deadline for submissions are as follows
Thank you once again for your commitment, your patience, and your partnership in Christ’s Mission.
All returns are made via the Parish Returns Website here: https://parishreturns.churchofengland.org/.
Need help logging in? – contact environment@peterboroughdiocese.org.uk or Nuala Salter at nuala.salter@peterborough-diocese.org.uk for help.
Statistics for Mission – for helping completing your statistics for mission please contact Paul Adams at paul.adams@peterborough-diocese.org.uk or on 01604 887071 (office) 07720 388894 (mobile).
Further guidance and information on this return can also be found here: Statistics for Mission Guidance and in the video below.
Energy Footprint Tool – For help completing your EFT return please contact at environment@peterborough-diocese.org.uk or on 01604 887041.
Helpful resources for your Energy Footprint Tool can be found here: peterborough-diocese.org.uk/energy-footprint-tool.php
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Across our diocese, parishes are rooted in their local communities, each with its own story, calling and faithful witness. While every church is deeply valued, none stands alone. Together we are part of one diocesan family within the Church of England, sharing in God’s mission across all our communities.
Our approach to funding is shaped by this shared life. Through generous giving we are able to sustain a Christian presence in every community. Parish contributions help to support clergy and lay ministers, schools and chaplaincies, safeguarding, and the care of buildings — enabling ministry to flourish across the whole diocese.
This way of sharing reflects the earliest Christian communities, where believers gave what they could so that all might benefit. In the Acts of the Apostles we see the early church as a community ‘of one heart and soul’, where believers shared ‘everything in common’ so that none was in need (Acts 4:32–35). While our lives look different today, the spirit of that shared generosity remains visible when churches support one another in faith and love, actively supporting the mission of God in this place.
We see the same principle in Paul’s encouragement to the church in Corinth, inviting them to set aside regular gifts for Christians in Jerusalem whom they would never meet (1 Corinthians 16:1–4). This was not payment for services received, but an expression of unity, generosity and shared mission in Christ.
We invite every benefice to pray about its giving and to contribute as generously as it is able. By doing so, we live out our faith together, ensuring that the good news of Jesus Christ continues to be shared, and that God’s kingdom may grow and flourish throughout the Diocese of Peterborough.
For more information on the income and expenditure please see Parish Share Explained booklet.
You might like to visit the Generosity Learning Hub. This provides resources, guidance and inspiration to aid teaching and preaching about generous giving in all contexts.
The Diocesan Generous Giving Team is also here to help. They have a range of resources available here.
The information you provide during the parish returns process is available as spotlights for your parish - please see the links below which will allow you to search for your parish spotlight.
The Parish Resource website is a comprehensive website maintained by the Stewardship & Resources team of the Church of England and covers all aspects of PCC finances. The following pages are particularly helpful for new PCC Treasurers:
The Charity Commission has published a series of '5 minute guides' covering the 'core syllabus' of basics that trustees need to know. The first of these guides, managing charity finances, is particularly relevant for PCC Treasurers but is applicable to all trustees. We strongly recommend you read this, and make use of the additional links and guidance from this page.
As the Charity Commission points out, 'as a trustee you must take steps to make sure that your charity’s money is safe, properly used and accounted for. Every trustee has to do this. Even if your charity has an expert to manage its finances, you are still responsible for overseeing your charity’s money.'
| Key responsibilities are to: | The other ' 5-minute guides' are: |
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Protect your PCC's money |
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Know your PCC's financial position |
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Keep accurate financial records |
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Manage expenses and payments to trustees |
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Deal with financial problems quickly |
PCC Accountability: The Charities Act 2011 and the PCC (5th edition, 2017)
This excellent book produced by the Church of England contains everything you'll need to know about preparing the year-end accounts including a full set of example accounts. The contents can be read on-line.
Further accounting and reporting guidance can be found on the PCC Accounts and Return of Parish Finance page of the website.
A PCC's 'gross income' will determine when it needs to register with the Charity Commission and comply with charity law. Refer to the dedicated page on the Parish Resources site for further guidance: Charities Act requirements for PCC registration.
There are lots of helpful resources available to guide a Treasurer through the year-end accounting and reporting process, please refer to the ACAT (Association of Church Accountants & Treasurers) Resources or Parish Resources (part of the Church of England).
For ACAT Resources, The Diocese of Peterborough has a block membership agreement in place for all its churches.
To benefit from this fully, you are welcome to log on to the ACAT website and create your own Username and Password. Details of how to do this can be found here.
The Church of England’s National Stewardship & Resources team also provide a detailed helpful link to ‘Parish Resources’.
Registration with the charity commission – Find the latest information below on the following links from Parish Resources or / and ACAT:
Accounting and Reporting - Parish ResourcesParish Resources
Chapter 17: Registration of Charities in England and Wales | ACAT
There are two different methods of accounting are permissible, depending on the gross income of the PCC: Receipts & Payments, or Accruals account. If the gross income of your PCC is less than £250,000 you can choose to prepare your accounts on a Receipts and Payments basis. This is a simpler form of accounting which records cash moving in and out of the PCC’s bank accounts during the financial year.
Parishes with gross incomes greater than £250,000 must produce accounts on the accruals basis, which provides a more accurate view of the PCC’s financial position.
Alongside each year’s accounts, a PCC must present a Trustees’ Annual Report. The Charity Commission has issued some rules on what must be covered. There is also guidance on writing the Trustees’ Annual Report available. All PCC members have collective responsibility for the annual report, although typically the PCC Secretary and Treasurer will take a lead in its preparation, with input and support from the Incumbent or Priest-in-Charge.
The annual report and accounts provide an important opportunity for trustees to 'take stock' of what the PCC has achieved over the last year and to demonstrate to supporters, potential funders and the public that the PCC has met its objectives and managed its resources effectively, and explain the difference that it has made to its intended beneficiaries.
Please find below a link that explains the role and who can be an independent Examiner.
Chapter 11: Independent Examination | ACAT
It is recommended that in order to reduce the chance of any misunderstanding, the independent examiner should write to the PCC detailing its accounting responsibilities and the examiner’s statutory responsibilities. The content of the letter should be agreed with the PCC.
Each year parish treasurers are asked to complete an annual return summarising their finances over the last year and giving details of regular giving.
The annual return form is available online here.
The Return of Parish Finance should be completed via this system once the year-end accounts have been completed. The deadline for completion of the Return of Parish Finance is the 31st of May each year. If you've not completed the Return of Parish Finance online before, you may find this guidance helpful.
Should you need a reminder of your login details for the online parish return system, or any help please email us.
There are a few simple steps for a PCC Treasurer to follow at the end of each financial year. These include:
Prepare annual Report & Accounts.
Arrange to meet with your Independent Examiner to discuss the Report & Accounts, and provide any supporting documentation requested.
Present Report & Accounts at a PCC meeting for approval and signature prior to the APCM.
Obtain Independent Examiner's report and signature, and include with Report & Accounts.
Display Report & Accounts for at least 7 days prior to APCM.
Present Report & Accounts for approval at APCM.
Appoint Independent Examiner for the next financial year at APCM.
Send a copy of the signed Report & Accounts to the Finance Team at the diocesan office (no later than 31 May).
Complete the annual Return of Parish Finance in the Church of England's online parish return system (by 31 May).
Weddings, funerals, burials and baptisms are all services to serve the people of God in the local community. These services are an opportunity to share in celebration and can give comfort to those whom enter the church, which provides the love of God for all his people. Fees play a part in helping those whom assist in these services to participate in an active role and as such the Diocese is grateful for the support given by those who in turn support their local parish.
Fees are payable for Weddings, funerals and burials and are set annually by the Church of England. There are two parts to the fee, one part is due to the local parish (PCC) and the other due to the Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF). These monies go to help fund local parish ministry.
The key information guide to fees can be found at Guide to Church of England Parochial Fees and this is updated regularly by the Church of England. A listing of fees can be found on the Table of Parochial Fees which is updated annually.
For weddings in a church, the fee will need to be collected by the parish and a breakdown of what the couple are being charged for will need be supplied. Please complete the Quarterly Return of Parochial Fees form and return this to the Diocesan Office, with the fees owed to the Diocese.
For every burial or funeral in a church, churchyard, cemetery or crematorium there a fee to pay, please complete the Quarterly Return of Parochial Fees form and return this to the Diocesan Office, along with the fees owed to the Diocese.
For every monument or additional inscription, a small fee is payable to the Diocese, please complete the Quarterly Return of Parochial Fees form and return this to the Diocesan Office, along with fees owed to the Diocese.
All information relating to the process of reserving a gravespace can be found here, for the associated fees click here
Payment of Diocesan fees are due every quarter and can be either paid by cheque made out to Peterborough Diocesan Board of Finance (PDBF) or by online banking. Details are:
Barclays
The Peterborough Diocesan Board of Finance (PDBF)
20-67-45
20713619
When making payment by online banking please state on the reference fees for your parish.
Please complete the Quarterly Return of Parochial Fees form and return this with the cheque (if applicable) to
The Diocese of Peterborough, The Diocesan Office, Finance Department, The Palace, Peterborough, PE1 1YB.
If a parish does not have any Weddings or funerals for a quarter, please can you inform the Finance Office of the Quarterly Return of Parochial Fees form of a ‘nil return’ or e-mail to the Finance Office.
Where a retired priest with Permission to Officiate (PTO) is taking the service the fee payable is 80% of the DBF fee and the Diocese receive the 20%.
Some parishes require a more detailed account of services taken, please find Analysis of Fees.
If a parish is in interregnum, please contact the Finance Office for a service form for reimbursement.
Peterborough Diocesan Guide to Fees (PDF)
Stipend, fees and mileage rates (PDF)
Any queries please contact the Finance Office or e-mail Lisa Allan.
The Diocese offer payroll services where parishes employ staff but are unable to offer a payroll service for their staff.
The staff are paid monthly and the parish is re-charged the gross pay and employers national insurance monthly – the DBF makes the payments of PAYE and National insurance to HMRC.
Any pension matters are dealt with by the individual parish, not by the Diocese.
Please note that the Annual HMRC Employment Allowance of £5,000 cannot be claimed by an individual parish – this is only available if a parish does their own payroll.
For further information,please contact David Mason in the Diocesan Office on 01733 887022 or by email.
We have a dedicated section of resources available to help with the role of Churchwardens here: https://www.peterborough-diocese.org.uk/churchwardens
Charities have a range of Governing Documents. Charitable Trusts are governed by Trust Deeds; Charitable Companies will have a Memorandum and Articles; whilst Charitable Associations usually have a Constitution. Whilst Parochial Church Councils (PCCs) are charities, they are governed by two pieces of Church of England legislation, called Measures. These are:
This defines the principal function, or purpose, of the PCC as "promoting in the parish the whole mission of the Church". You can find the full text of the PCC Powers Measure in its currently amended form on the Statute Law Database by clicking here.
A new edition of the Rules was produced for 2017 and can be purchased as a book or EPUB eBook from Church House Publishing using this link. A Kindle edition can be purchased from Amazon.
An updated online edition of the Rules as at 1 January 2017 is also available on this link.
The 5th Edition of PCC Accountability (incoporating SORP 2015) was published by Church House Publishing in February 2017.
Stipends, fees and mileage rates
PCCs and charity registration numbers
Church Major Works Fund
Quinquennial Inspections and Grants
Parish resources
Parish buying scheme
The stipends, fees and mileage rates can be downloaded here.
If the income of a PCC is over £100,000 it should be registered with the Charity Commission. If the income is less than £100,000 the PCC is currently* treated as an 'excepted' charity and will not have a Charity Commissioner registration number. If a PCC is asked for its governing document, the PCC should state that it is governed by two pieces of legislation:
"The Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1956'' as amended, and
the Church Representation Rules (contained in Schedule 3 to the Synodical Government Measure 1969 as amended).
A PCC can download a PDF document that includes the church name, address and church code from the 'More Information' section of its A Church Near You listing. This PDF, which is an extract from the Church of England’s database of churches, can serve as a certificate for churches requiring proof of their charity status when registering for online and card-based giving. You will need to request a certificate by clicking on the download button and filling in a short form.
The Church Major Works Fund exists to help parishes undertaking major church building projects, by providing loans to assist with cashflow over the project lifetime. Funds are limited, and so parishes applying for support must be able to demonstrate an urgent need, and also that steps are being taken to raise the necessary funding for the project.
The maximum loan normally available is 20% of the cost of works, up to a maximum of £50,000, however these terms can be varied in exceptional circumstances. No interest is charged on loans to be repaid over five years or less. Loans repayable over more than five years are charged at 5% interest over the full term of the loan. This is to encourage early repayment so that funds can be made available to other parishes.
The church building must be insured to at least 75% of the latest valuation, and repayment of the loan must be made by monthly direct debit. Whilst in ordinary circumstances, parishes must be able to demonstrate they have paid their parish share in full for the preceding three years, the impact of the pandemic on parish finances will be considered. A post-pandemic financial recovery plan should be provided alongside the loan application.
Applications are considered at the regular quarterly meetings of the Finance & Administration Committee of the Diocesan Board of Finance. Application forms should be returned by post or email, with the supporting documentation specified, to David Mason, Head of Finance, Diocesan Office, The Palace, Peterborough PE1 1YB, email David Mason
Download an application form here
The quinquennial grant is £650 and is paid towards the cost of your quinquennial inspection. Where the parish concerned has already paid its parish share, the grant will be paid to the PCC. Where a parish has not yet completed its parish share payment for the year, an amount equivalent to the grant will be deducted from the parish share still owing.
For more details about quinquennial inspections and the grant, please contact Emily Elliott, DAC Secretary.
This website is available – www.parishresources.org.uk and is a very useful guide.
There is a scheme to support parishes in local buying decisions. It’s about more than just saving money – it’s about good stewardship and releasing resource for mission and ministry.
You will find a range of competitive deals focused on saving time and money. Each supplier and contract has been thoroughly reviewed allowing parishes to buy with confidence.
Please note, the Parish Buying Scheme is not run by PDBF and we cannot answer any questions on it. More information on this scheme can be found here.
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