Questions for next week’s meeting of the CofE General Synod were issued on Friday and will be taken on the afternoon of Monday 10 February 2025. Though of less importance to those within the Church, Question Q5 [*] which relates ot Parochial Fees will be of greater general interest outwith the Church.

We have been publishing summaries of parochial fees since 2019, from which we observe that:

• whilst the absolute level of parochial fees in a particular year might not be a major issue for many, wedding planners, clergy and couples may make a reliable estimate from the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) on which they are based, and are published by the Office of National Statistics on a monthly basis;
• recently, changes in the  CPI have been relatively small; including owner occupiers’ housing costs (CPIH), these rose by 3.1% in the 12 months to August 2024, unchanged from July 2024.
• Parochial Fees for 2025 are based upon the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) for August 2024  which was published on 18 September 2024, but were only formally published late into the year, and even later in other parts of the CofE.
• In view of the standard format in which these are formally presented (including the year-on-year inconsistencies between the tables*), there should be some scope for an earlier publication of the next year’s fees.

[*]  Question Q5 

The Ven Catherine Dobson (Norwich) to ask the Chair of the Archbishops’ Council Finance Committee:

Q5 The table of parochial fees for the forthcoming year is published each year in November. Most weddings are booked at least a year in advance and the late publishing creates uncertainty as clergy are unable to confirm the fees at the time the wedding is booked.

Would it be possible for the fees to be set 12 months before they apply, so November 2025 setting for 2026 and 2027, and then onwards Nov 2026 setting fees for 2028?

Mr Carl Hughes to reply as Chair of the Archbishops’ Council’s Finance Committee:

A Parochial fees for 2026 will be governed by the Parochial Fees Order 2024. This states that from 1 January 2026 fees will increase by the lower of (i) the annual increase in the CPI inflation index to August 2025 and (ii) 5%. In previous ParochialFees Orders the reference point was the September CPI which should enable thetable of parochial fees to be produced slightly earlier.

When preparing the next draft Parochial Fees Order, we will consider whether to propose an earlier reference month for the increase. But a balance will need to be struck between a desire for early notification of fees for the coming year and there not being too great a time lag compared with the prevailing inflation rate.

When the next draft Parochial Fees Order is debated (which, subject to the Business Committee’s approval is likely to be next February) Synod members may propose alternatives including a different reference month for any inflationary increases.