Generous giving

The Minster receives no support from the Church Commissioners or from central government, beyond a very limited amount of VAT relief. Everything we do is paid for by the people who love it, in their giving of time and of money. This page is about the money side. The matching page on time — Our community of volunteers — is at least as important.

What does the Minster cost to run?

In the region of half a million pounds a year. The largest part is what the Church of England calls the cost of ministry — the stipend, housing, pension and national insurance of our clergy, plus the salaried staff team that keeps the building open and the community supported. The rest is the constant work of looking after a building this old: heating, lighting, repairing, insuring, cleaning, and a long list of incidental costs that come with a public space open every day of the year except Boxing Day. The exact figures move from year to year — see the actual figures below for where the current position is published.

The Minster’s finances are gradually improving, though they remain finely balanced; historical reserves and occasional one-off gifts have bridged the gap in the past, but neither can be relied on for the future. Regular giving from the congregation is one of our largest sources of income. We are enormously grateful for it.

To make the figures concrete: if every regular giver were able to move up one band — if those giving £15 a month could move to £30, those at £30 to £60, and those at £60 to £100 — the financial picture for the Minster would be transformed. To move from £15 to £30 a month is an extra £3.50 a week: roughly the price of a jar of instant coffee, or a coffee in town. Transforming our finances and structures is one of the four aims of the Minster’s vision strategy, Minster 28.

How do I give regularly by direct debit?

The Church of England Parish Giving Scheme is the simplest way. Used by 93,000 people across the Church of England. It allows you to commit by direct debit; to have your gift adjusted automatically each year for inflation if you wish; and to claim back Gift Aid for the Minster on your behalf. Find it via the Minster website’s Donating page, or ask at the Parish Centre for a paper form.

Can I give online or by cash?

Yes to both. The Minster website’s Donating page takes you to a one-off donation page; you can give any amount and Gift Aid it if you pay UK tax. If you would prefer cash, the yellow envelopes used in services are the way to give, and they too allow Gift Aid (£2.50 reclaimed by the Minster for every £10 given) — so do please fill them in. There are contactless donation points around the building for visitors who would like to give a one-off gift.

What about a legacy?

Gifts made through wills make a real difference to the Minster’s long-term financial health; there is more on the Minster website’s Leaving a legacy page. The standard wording is: “I bequeath the sum of £______, or ____% of my estate, free of duty, to Beverley Minster Parochial Church Council, Parish Centre, 38 Highgate, Beverley HU17 0DN, and I declare that the receipt of its Treasurer shall be a sufficient discharge for the legacy.”

What is the parish share, or Free Will Offer?

Each year, the Minster sends a substantial part of what is given to us to the Diocese of York as the parish share — also called the Free Will Offer. This is the contribution the parish makes to the diocese to fund the wider work of the Church of England in this region.

The principle is mutual support across the diocese. The cost of providing a stipendiary, housed, pensioned full-time priest now runs to over fifty thousand pounds a year, and the cost of running each “ministry unit” (a parish or group of parishes served by one incumbent) is well above that once shared diocesan support is included. Some parishes can comfortably meet the full cost of their own ministry; many cannot. The Free Will Offer takes the resources of all parishes and pools them so that ministry can continue in those parts of the diocese less able to pay their own way.

The Diocese of York sets a guideline figure each year for what each parish might give. The decision on what the Minster’s actual Free Will Offer will be is made by the PCC. As a community we believe in the principle of mutual support, and we aim to meet at least the direct cost of the ministry we receive, with a contribution to the shared work beyond that. The Free Will Offer has risen year on year as the Minster works toward meeting the full cost of the ministry it receives.

Generous giving is not, in the end, about what we owe the building. It is about a posture — that all good things come from God, and our giving is a small return of his generosity. As Saint Paul put it: “Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Where can I see the actual figures?

The Minster’s finances are reviewed throughout the year by the PCC and the Treasurer, and the position is quite fluid — so this page deliberately keeps to the shape of things rather than the latest numbers, which would soon be out of date here. For the figures themselves, the fullest account is the Annual Report and Accounts, presented at the APCM each May and available from the Parish Office. The most recent filed accounts are also on the Charity Commission register (charity no. 1132704). For what is on and how to give today, the Minster website is always the live source. The Diocese of York also publishes helpful resources on generous giving. To talk through your own giving in confidence, please ask the Parish Centre to put you in touch with the Treasurer or with the Vicar.

Section 23 of 26 in the Companion