2024 No. 415

Ecclesiastical Law, England

The Parochial Fees Order 2024

Made21st March 2024

Laid before Parliament26th March 2024

Coming into force1st January 2025

In accordance with section 2(1) of the Ecclesiastical Fees Measure 19861 (“the Measure”) a draft of this Order has been laid before, and approved by, the General Synod.

The Archbishops’ Council, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 1 and 2 of the Measure2, makes the following Order:

Citation, commencement and interpretation1.

(1)

This Order may be cited as the Parochial Fees Order 2024.

(2)

It comes into operation on 1st January 2025.

(3)

In this Order “the Measure” means the Ecclesiastical Fees Measure 1986.

Period for which fees are prescribed2.

This Order prescribes parochial fees for the period 1st January 2025 to 31st December 2026.

Base figures3.

The “base figure” for a matter listed in the first column of the table in Schedule 1 is the amount specified in respect of that matter in the second column of the table for the diocesan board of finance or (as the case may be) in the third column for the parochial church council.

Prescribed fees4.

(1)

Parochial fees are payable to a diocesan board of finance and to a parochial church council in respect of each of the matters listed in the first column of the table in Schedule 1 as follows.

(2)

The fee payable in the calendar year 1st January to 31st December 2025 is the base figure for that matter—

(a)

increased by the lower of—

(i)

the percentage by which the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) for August 2024 is greater than that for August 2023, and

(ii)

5%, and

(b)

rounded up to the nearest £1.

(3)

The fee payable in the calendar year 1st January to 31st December 2026 is the fee payable for that matter in the preceding calendar year (“Year A”)—

(a)

increased by the lower of—

(i)

the percentage by which the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) for August in Year A is greater than that for August in the calendar year preceding Year A, and

(ii)

5%, and

(b)

rounded up to the nearest £1.

(4)

But where there is no increase in the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), the percentage for the purposes of paragraph (2) or (3) is to be treated as zero.

Supplementary5.

(1)

Schedule 2 contains incidental provisions that apply in relation to the parochial fees prescribed by article 4.

(2)

Article 4 is subject to section 1(8) of the Measure (which provides that where the relevant parish is a parish of which a cathedral is the parish church, any fees which would, apart from that subsection, be payable to the parochial church council or to the diocesan board of finance, are instead payable to the Chapter of the cathedral).

The draft of this Order was approved by the General Synod on 26th February 2024.

A.S. McGregor

Registrar of the General Synod

Church House, Westminster

Signed on behalf of the Archbishops’ Council by two authorised officers

S.J. Gallagher

D.P. White

Church House, Westminster

21st March 2024

SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 1Parochial Fees: base figures

Article 4

Matter	Diocesan board of finance	Parochial church council	Total
	£	£	£
BAPTISMS
Certificate issued at time of baptism	0	18	18
Short certificate of baptism given under section 2 Baptismal Registers Measure 1961	0	18	18

MARRIAGES
Publication of banns of marriage	0	36	36
Certificate of banns issued at time of publication	0	18	18
Marriage service in church (*)	241	290	531

FUNERALS AND BURIALS OF PERSONS AGED 18 YEARS OR MORE
A. Service in church
Funeral service in church, whether taking place before or after burial or cremation (*)	124	104	228
Burial of body in churchyard immediately preceding or following on from service in church	17	349	366
Burial or other lawful disposal of cremated remains in churchyard immediately preceding or following on from service in church	17	142	159
Burial of body, or burial or other lawful disposal of cremated remains, in cemetery immediately preceding or following on from service in church	34	0	34
Cremation immediately preceding or following on from service in church	34	0	34
Burial of body in churchyard on separate occasion	50	349	399
Burial of cremated remains in churchyard or other lawful disposal of remains on separate occasion	50	142	192
Burial of body, or burial or other lawful disposal of cremated remains, in cemetery on separate occasion	34	0	34

B. No service in church
Funeral service (including burial of body) at graveside in churchyard	124	349	473
Funeral service (including burial or other lawful disposal of cremated remains) in churchyard	124	142	266
Funeral service in crematorium or funeral service (including burial of body or burial or other lawful disposal of cremated remains) in cemetery	194	34	228
Funeral service in premises belonging to funeral director, whether taking place before or after burial or cremation	228	0	228
Cremation immediately preceding or following on from funeral service in premises belonging to funeral director	34	0	34
Burial of body in churchyard (committal only)	50	349	399
Burial of cremated remains in churchyard or other lawful disposal of remains (committal only)	50	142	192
Burial of body, or burial or other lawful disposal of cremated remains, in cemetery (committal only)	34	0	34

C. Certificate issued at time of burial	0	18	18

MONUMENTS IN CHURCHYARDS
Permitted in accordance with rules, regulations or directions made by the Chancellor including those relating to a particular churchyard or part of a churchyard (but excluding a monument authorised by a particular faculty) including inscription on existing monument—
Small cross of wood (†)	17	38	55
Small vase not exceeding 305mm x 203mm x 203mm or tablet, plaque or other marker commemorating a person whose remains have been cremated (†)	17	72	89
Any other monument (†)	17	150	167
Additional inscription on existing monument	17	18	35

SEARCHES IN CHURCH REGISTERS ETC.
Searching registers of marriages for period before 1st July 1837—
for up to one hour	0	36	36
for each subsequent hour or part of an hour	0	36	36
Searching registers of baptisms or burials (including provision of one copy of any entry therein)—
for up to one hour	0	36	36
for each subsequent hour or part of an hour	0	36	36
Each additional copy of an entry in a register of baptisms or burials	0	18	18
Inspection of instrument of apportionment or agreement for exchange of land for tithes deposited under Tithe Act 1836	0	0	0
Furnishing copies of above (for every 72 words)	0	18	18

SCHEDULE 2Incidental provisions

Article 5(1)

Certificates and certified copies

1. (1)

The fee for a certificate issued at the time of baptism is for a certified copy of the entry in the register book of baptisms giving the particulars required in Form No 1 in Schedule 1 to the Parochial Registers and Records Measure 19783.

(2)

The fees payable for a certified copy of an entry in a register book of baptisms issued at any other time are the fees prescribed for searching registers of baptisms or burials and, if applicable, for each additional copy of an entry in a register of baptisms or burials.

(3)

Any fee prescribed under the heading “SEARCHES IN CHURCH REGISTERS ETC.” for a copy of an entry in a register or of an instrument or other document is for a certified copy; and where provision of a copy is included in the fee for searching a register, that fee includes the provision of a certified copy.

Costs and expenses included in prescribed fees

2.

Where a matter is marked (*) in the table in Schedule 1, any costs and expenses incurred in relation to that matter in respect of routine administration (including arranging dates and times and the making of entries in registers), making the church available and lighting it are included in the fee prescribed as payable to the parochial church council.

Parish church cathedrals

3.

Where section 1(8) of the Measure applies, paragraph 2 applies as if the reference to the parochial church council were to the Chapter of the cathedral.

Approval of inscriptions

4.

The fees prescribed for matters marked (†) in the table in Schedule 1 include fees in respect of the approval of the original inscription by the incumbent.

Burial Laws Amendment Act 1880

5.

In the case of a burial under the Burial Laws Amendment Act 18804, the fees payable are those prescribed in respect of a funeral service (including burial of body) at a graveside in a churchyard.

Banns published by lay person

6.

Where a lay person publishes banns under section 9(2) of the Marriage Act 19495, the fees prescribed in respect of the publication of banns of marriage are payable.

Registers in custody of churchwardens

7.

Where a churchwarden allows a search to be made in a register of baptisms or burials or gives a copy of an entry in such a register under section 20(1) of the Parochial Registers and Records Measure 1978, the fees prescribed in respect of such searches and to the giving of such copies are payable.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

The Order prescribes the parochial fees payable for the period 1st January 2025 to 31st December 2026 in connection with marriages, funerals and burials and the erection of monuments in churchyards and in respect of other, miscellaneous matters.