Understanding your parish share — and how to talk about it with your congregation and diocese

A note on scope: This article is written specifically for Church of England parishes, where the parish share is a defined feature of how the wider Church is funded. Other traditions have their own structures for supporting central or regional bodies; the underlying principle — a local community contributing to a shared whole — is common to many, but the mechanics described here are Anglican.

For many Parochial Church Councils (PCCs), the parish share is the single largest line in the budget — and the one that prompts the most anxiety. Understanding what it is, how it's worked out, and how to talk about it openly is one of the most valuable things a parish treasurer or PCC can do. This article aims to demystify it.

What the parish share is — and isn't

The parish share (sometimes called the common fund, diocesan quota or share) is the contribution each parish is asked to make towards the costs of ministry across the diocese. In the largest part, it funds clergy stipends, housing, pension and training — the cost of having paid, trained ministers serving parishes, including many parishes that could never afford a minister on their own.

Crucially, in most dioceses the parish share is a request, not a legally enforceable charge or a tax. It rests on a covenant of mutual support: wealthier and larger parishes effectively help sustain ministry in smaller or poorer ones. Understanding it as shared provision rather than a bill changes the tenor of the conversation considerably.

How the share is calculated

There is no single national formula. Each diocese sets its own approach, and methods vary widely. Common models include:

• Cost-based — broadly reflecting the cost of the ministry a parish receives
• Ability-to-pay / means-based — weighted by the parish's membership, income or the relative wealth of the area
• Hybrid — a mix of the above, sometimes with banding or historic adjustments

Because approaches differ so much, the first practical step is simply to understand how your own diocese calculates your share. Ask for the breakdown. You're entitled to understand how the figure was reached.

Working out the real impact on your parish

To have a credible conversation — internally and with the diocese — you need a clear-eyed view of the numbers:

• What proportion of your total expenditure is the share? If it's a large share of a tight budget, say so plainly.
• How does it compare to your regular giving income (not one-off or restricted money)?
• Is it sustainable at current giving levels, or are you drawing on reserves to meet it?
• What's the trend over three to five years — is the gap widening?

Set this out simply, ideally on a single page. Honest numbers are the foundation of every constructive conversation that follows.

Talking to your congregation: transparency without alarm

Congregations generally respond far better to openness than to silence or sudden crisis. When raising the share with members:

• Explain what it pays for — many people don't realise it largely funds the ministry they value, and supports parishes beyond their own.
• Be honest about the position without catastrophising. "Here's what we're asked to give, here's what we currently give, here's the gap" is clearer and calmer than either pretending all is well or sounding the alarm.
• Connect it to giving. Conversations about the share are a natural moment to talk about planned giving, Gift Aid and the small donations scheme — practical ways to close a gap.
• Invite response, don't impose guilt. Generosity grows from understanding and ownership, not pressure.

Feeding back to the diocese when the share is straining the parish

If your honest assessment is that the share is placing real financial strain on the parish, say so — constructively and early. Dioceses generally far prefer an open conversation to a parish quietly falling into arrears or depleting its reserves. When you approach them:

• Bring your numbers, not just a feeling — the one-page picture above.
• Be clear about what you can sustainably offer, and why.
• Ask about flexibility, transitional arrangements or review — many dioceses have mechanisms for parishes in genuine difficulty.
• Frame it as partnership: you want to play your full part in shared ministry, and you need the figure to be one the parish can actually meet.

Approached this way, the conversation is not a confrontation but exactly the kind of mutual honesty the share system depends on.

Keep it under review

Your parish share, your giving and your reserves are connected, and all three move over time. Review them together annually, minute the discussion, and keep the lines of communication with your diocese open rather than waiting for a difficult year to force the conversation.

---

This article is general information, not advice. Rules and figures and diocesan practice change and can depend on your circumstances. Check the current position with your diocese or get in touch and we'll help.

Sources verified (June 2026):

• The Church of England, Parish share / national giving and funding resources — https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/building-and-development-finance-and-giving
• Diocesan parish-share schemes vary; this article describes the general framework rather than any single diocese's formula. Confirm your own diocese's current scheme directly with them.