Submitting parish accounts, finance returns, and fees is essential for maintaining transparency, accountability, and good stewardship across the diocese. These submissions help ensure compliance with legal and Church of England requirements, provide an accurate picture of parish health, and enable better planning and support for ministry and mission. By sharing this information, parishes contribute to the wider sustainability and growth of the Church’s work in their communities.
Annual Accounts
Most PCC’s are what is known as an “excepted charity” which means your church has certain exemptions and responsibilities with regard to accounting. Therefore PCCs are not required to register separately with the Charity Commission unless their income or expenditure exceeds £100,000 in any one year. For advice on registration or if you think that it may apply to your parish contact the Finance Office.
To maintain excepted charity status, parishes are required to supply an annual set of accounts to the Diocesan Office – please send them for the attention of the Diocesan Secretary, preferably by email. Accounts are also required from those parishes that are registered with the Charity Commission (i.e. expenditure exceeds £100,000 in any one year).
Parish treasurers need to send a copy of their Annual accounts to the Finance Office at Church House as soon after the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) as possible. It is hoped that they will all have been received by the end of May.
For resources to help complete your annual accounts, please see the Parish Finance section on the Resources for Sustainability page and for guidance please contact the Finance Office at finance@sheffield.anglican.org
Finance Return
A Parish Finance Return is an annual report submitted by each parish to provide details of its income, expenditure, and overall financial activity for the year. It helps the diocese and national church understand the financial health of parishes, plan support where needed, and build an accurate picture of church finances across the country. Completing it ensures transparency, good stewardship, and contributes to the wider mission planning of the Church.
Please note that the Finance Return should include all PCC funds, not just the General Fund. The Finance reporting entries have remained mostly consistent. The standard guidance for financial reporting for PCCs (published in PCC Accountability: the Church of England’s guide to the Charities Act 2011 and the PCC) is available from the Church of England website.
Fees
Parish fees are the statutory payments made for certain services conducted by the Church of England, such as weddings and funerals. These fees are shared between the diocese and the local parish and help support clergy stipends, building maintenance, and ministry costs. Submitting parish fee information ensures accurate record-keeping, compliance with national church guidelines, and transparency in how these contributions support the ongoing mission and ministry of the church.
Parochial Fees Forms
Retired Clergy, Non Stipendiary Minister and Reader Fees
Please submit claims on a quarterly or monthly basis as retrospective claims for the previous financial year cannot be accepted.