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Diocese

‘Diocese’ refers to the geographical territory in which a bishop exercises oversight. The Church in Wales is divided into six dioceses each with its own cathedral in which is housed the cathedra (the bishop’s ‘chair’ or ‘throne’).

Home For clergy and members Finance

Finance

The Finances of the diocese are managed by a group of trustees called the ‘Diocesan Board of Finance’ (DBF). The Diocesan Board of Finance is both a registered company and a registered charity.

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Support and resources for local church financial management are detailed below, but if your question is not answered here please contact us and we will be pleased to help.

Gift Aid

Gift Aid is an income tax relief designed to benefit charities and Community, including your church. If you’re a UK taxpayer, Gift Aid increases the value of your charity donations by 25% because your church or charity can reclaim the basic rate of tax on your gift at no extra cost to you. For more information about Gift Aid visit www.parishresources.org.uk/giftaid and follow the useful Fact Sheets.

Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme

The Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS) allows parishes to claim a Gift-Aid style repayment to be received on small cash donations. There are certain criteria to be met and a claims process to be followed. For more details, including a ‘step by step’ guide to claiming please visit www.parishresources.org.uk/giftaid/smalldonations.

Ministry Share

Ministry Share is the offering generated by each local church towards the shared costs of paid ministry within the diocese. Please download:

Employing people

Many local churches employ people; organists, caretakers, children or youth workers, outreach or community workers, vergers and many others.

If you’re unsure about if you employ someone or not you should use the HMRC ‘employment indicator’. Often ‘volunteers’ who receive a benefit or payment for the duties they undertake might actually be ‘employed’ in the eyes of the law and tax authorities and this presents considerable implications.
Employing someone is both a responsibility and a privilege and isn’t something that a local church should do without great thought and care. As a Christian organisation should at all times aim to be a ‘model’ employer and wherever possible emulate best practice and maintain the highest standards.
There are tax and payroll responsibilities for the employer and employee; the church is subject to all the usual rules governing employment. For more details and guidance about this visit www.gov.uk/employing-staff.

Clergy Expenses

Churches are responsible for the payment of certain expenses incurred by those serving in ministry within their area. Details of these along with other guidance such as adoption, maternity, paternity pay and leave terms and conditions can be found in the Clergy Handbook on the Provincial website.

Accounts and budgeting

The Church in Wales offers a series of useful templates and spreadsheets to help your church prepare annual accounts and a yearly budget. These are designed to replicate the format of the Annual Financial Return and to be compliant with guidance issued by the Charity Commission. These can be found in the Membership and Finance section of the Provincial website.