Revd Chris Blunt of Stockport Advocates for England’s Poorest Parishes in Synod Funding Debate

LInC funding, currently totalling £133 million over the present triennium, enables dioceses to sustain ministry in areas facing the greatest social and economic hardship. But as Chris reminded Synod, several dioceses that do not receive LInC funding still contain parishes marked by extreme deprivation, including many within the Diocese of Chester.

Describing LInC funding as “the cornerstone of the Church of England’s commitment to the poor”, Chris spoke movingly of the pressures faced by parishes where many worshippers give faithfully despite living on Universal Credit, PIP, or state pensions. Even with Chester’s generous parish‑share model, where the most deprived parishes pay around 25-45% of a standard share, meeting financial expectations remains a struggle.

Chris presented the original motion from Chester Diocesan Synod, which expressed regret that twelve mainland dioceses received no LInC allocation despite containing 268 parishes among the most deprived quartile nationally. The motion called for a review of the funding formula to ensure that the needs of individual parishes, not only diocesan‑wide averages, are fully recognised.

He emphasised that the proposal was “modest” and “born out of frustration”, reflecting deep concern for communities where the Church is often the last visible, stable institution.

Although Synod ultimately passed an amended motion presented by Carl Hughes, the debate placed renewed national attention on the experiences of clergy and congregations ministering in England’s poorest neighbourhoods.

Several speakers acknowledged that the Church must not allow funding structures to overlook parishes where deprivation is acute, and where ministry is both fragile and vital.

Chris said: “It's great that the way Lowest Income Communities funding is distributed is now on the national church agenda.  Chester Diocese is not in receipt of any of this funding as we are considered to be one of the country's wealthier dioceses.  The national church's blind spot is that even within a diocese like ours there are parishes desperately in need of support.  Hopefully the blind spot will now be addressed.”