Unite, the UK’s union for faith workers, has hailed a seven per cent increase in the Church of England’s stipend after its clergy members submitted a pay claim for the first time in history.
Church leaders originally proposed a rise of five per cent. Following campaigning by Unite’s Church of England Clergy & Employee Advocates (CEECA), a distinct part of Unite’s wider faith workers branch, the stipend has now been increased to a seven per cent uplift.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The dedication and commitment of Unite’s CEECA activists on behalf of their members has moved the church into providing this much needed increase to the stipend.
“However, financial hardship and a lack of support in ministry remain a real concern for CEECA members. Unite’s fight to improve financial wellbeing and working conditions for Church of England clergy will continue.”
Last year, the CEECA was, for the first time, invited to submit proposals to the Church of England’s Remuneration and Conditions of Service Committee (RACSC), which advises the Archbishops’ Council on increases in stipends.
The CEECA was invited to participate in the discussions after it lobbied the church’s institutions over how the cost-of-living crisis was creating hardship for its clergy.
The Archbishops’ Council has recommended that the clergy’s national minimum stipend increase by seven per cent to £28,670 from 1 April 2024 and the national stipend benchmark be increased to £30,638. The figures are then used by the church’s dioceses to set individual stipends for their clergy.
CEECA activist and member of the clergy, Sam Maginnis, said: “Throughout the cost-of-living crisis, clergy have been working tirelessly to support their local communities in countless different ways. At the same time, many have been struggling to support themselves and their families and have had to rely on charitable aid to make ends meet.
“We are pleased that the national church has listened to the CEECA and recommended a further increase to the stipend this year. This will go some way to ensure that clergy receive relief from the financial hardships and stress many are dealing with and can effectively serve their local communities.”
