Southwark Diocese are implementing a new way of seeking to fund the work of parishes. There has been a review of the previous Fairer Shares Scheme and from 2016 all parishes will be invited to support the shared responsibilities as a diocese by making a pledge to the Parish Support Fund. Parishes will be asked to make a pledge which is realistic, challenging and generous rather than receiving an assessment calculated under the old Fairer Shares Scheme.

One of the reasons for the change is that people had begun to think of Fairer Shares as a tax; a bill to be paid. The Diocese of Southwark has a mission to share the love of God in Christ Jesus with all around it. All churches need to play their part in ensuring that this can happen whether parishes can pay for their clergy or not. Some areas in our Diocese are amongst the least financially affluent in the country. Other areas are amongst the least deprived financially. It is thanks to the generosity of those churches which have more financial resources that churches in less wealthy areas can have clergy to help them to work in their community.

In our Diocese the average cost of maintaining and supporting a full time
priest in a parish will be about £71,800 in 2016 made up as follows:-
Clergy stipend, national insurance and pension £37,000
Clergy housing £11,500
Other direct ministry costs £11,900
(Including training curates, ordinands’ training costs, in service training
Wider church responsibilities) £11,400
(Including parish support, safeguarding, National Church Responsibilities,
Governance, Administration and Groups, Board of Education and Welcare)