FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

LISTING QUERIES

• I don’t know whether the place of worship is listed. How can I find out?
  
  Contact either your Local Authority Planning Department, or the relevant statutory listing agency (for contact details, refer to Annex A on the back cover of this leaflet). Repairs to unlisted buildings will not be eligible for this scheme. If, however, you consider that the building warrants listing, you should consider submitting an application to the relevant statutory listing agency.
  

  To check if the place of worship which is the subject of the your application is listed, please refer to the relevant links below:

  • England: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/
  • Scotland: http://data.historic-scotland.gov.uk/pls/htmldb/f?p=2200:10:0
  • Wales: http://cadw.gov.wales/historicenvironment/recordsv1/?lang=en
  • Northern Ireland: https://apps.communities-ni.gov.uk/Buildings
  
  
• If I get my building listed now, can I apply for works carried out before it was listed?
  
  No. Claims will not be accepted for work carried out on buildings that are not listed at that time, regardless of whether they are then listed in the future. Claims will only be considered for repairs to buildings that are listed at the time the work is carried out.
  
  
• I don’t know my listing grade / category. Does it matter?
  
  No, we only use this information to cross-reference your details on our listed register. Q10 can be left blank – this will not delay processing of your application.

INVOICE / VAT QUERIES

• Can I apply if I’ve lost my VAT invoices?
  
  You can apply with a copy of the original invoice; however you may be required to supply a further copy marked as a true and certified copy, signed and dated by the contractor if your claim is selected for a post payment audit.
  
  
• Can I apply if I haven’t paid my VAT invoice?
  
  No. You must have paid your VAT invoice prior to applying for grant under this scheme.
  
  
• Can I submit all my invoices to the operator for them to decide what is eligible?
  
  No. It is essential that you read Guidance to the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme and submit only invoices that relate to work eligible for this scheme. Submitting a large number of inappropriate invoices to the operator will increase the possibility of your application being rejected, and may cause general delay in processing applications.
  
  
• Does the contractor have to be registered for VAT in order to be eligible?
  
  Yes. You should not be charged VAT on works supplied by a contractor who is not VAT registered.
  
  
• If I carry out work directly and have to pay VAT can I recover this?
  
  Only if you are a contractor who is registered for VAT and are producing a relevant VAT invoice for the works undertaken.
  
  
• The work has been carried out by a non-VAT registered contractor. Can we claim for the VAT on the materials we bought?
  
  No. You cannot claim for VAT on materials unless they are supplied as part of a broader supply of work by a registered VAT contractor.
  
  
• Can I submit invoices older than 12 months if they relate to eligible works?
  
  No, invoices in excess of 12 months old will be rejected as ineligible.
  

APPLICATION FORM QUERIES

• Can I still send my application by post?
  
  Yes, if you are unable to submit the application by email, it can still be submitted by post.
  
  
• Can I still send my invoices by post?
  
  Yes, if you are unable to submit the invoices by email, they can still be submitted by post with a paper copy of the application - even if the application has already been emailed.
  
  
• I can’t scan my invoices. Can I send these by post but send my application by email?
  
  Yes, but if doing so, when sending the invoices by post, please ensure that you make it clear which Listed Place of Worship they refer to.
  
  
• The people signing the form will not have full knowledge of the works carried out, does this matter?
  
  The contact specified in on the application should have knowledge of the works carried out. This is the person to whom we will address all queries, and return all paperwork. We are unable to communicate with any third party (i.e. contractor, architect. or other alternative contacts).
  
  The signatories are responsible for the declarations made on the application form.
  
  
• Who can countersign the application?
  
  The countersignatory should be someone who holds a suitable responsible position within the place of worship ie. priest, treasurer, churchwarden.
  
  
• Will the information submitted on the LPW application form be shared with other statutory agencies?
  
  Yes, statutory agencies will be notified of all grants awarded under the LPW Scheme. This is to avoid the possibility of public money being paid twice for the same costs.
  
  
• Can I apply for a Listed Places of Worship (LPW) grant and one from another statutory agency for the same work?
  
  You may. However, you must ensure that the grant from the other statutory agency takes your LPW grant into account. If it doesn’t, then you will have to repay to them the relevant proportion of the money you receive for the LPW grant.
  
  
• Previous grant awards – why can’t the LPW scheme reduce the amount payable to the place of worship, and refund the grant organisation directly?
  
  Any previous grant award is a contract between the place of worship and the grant paying body, and is not linked to this scheme.


• The church or church hall is also used for community meetings, scout groups etc. Is this eligible under the scheme?
  
  Yes, provided the main use is for public religious worship, this is fine. You may be asked to provide proof of this.
  
  If any part of the listed place of worship is used for accommodation, this element is not eligible under the scheme. Where invoices cover both place of worship and accommodation use, the cost split must be made clear on either the invoice or the application. The only exception to this is where the accommodation is used on a temporary basis as a refuge for the homeless or for similar social/welfare purposes.


• The place of worship is currently closed due to Health & Safety reasons. It has not therefore held six services in the last year. Do I still qualify?
  
  Providing the work started within a short space of time from the place of worship being closed down, and prior to the closure it had been used for at least six services in the previous year, this is fine. In instances where there is a delay between closure and work commencing, please contact the Helpline on 0800 500 3009 for guidance.
  
  Please be aware that we may need to refer your case to the Department for Culture, Media & Sport for a decision on eligibility.
  


• Question 23 is confusing.
  
  If you are having difficulty in completing this section of the application, please contact the Helpline. If we need to clarify any points after the claim has been submitted, we will contact the correspondent.
  

ELIGIBILITY QUERIES

• Can I claim solely for a retention where it is under £1,000, but relates to works that have been previously settled through the scheme?
  
  No. Each application is treated in isolation, so must achieve the minimum £1,000 threshold. If your retention is likely to be under this amount, we would advise that you retain the final application until this invoice can be included. Note that invoices must be less than 12 months old. However, from 1 October 2013, each listed place of worship will also be allowed to submit one claim using invoices with a value of less than £1000, but more than £500 (excluding the VAT paid) in any twelve month period (see note 3.1).
  

GENERAL QUERIES

• Do I need to register with the scheme prior to applying?
  
  No, there is no requirement to pre-register. Once works have been undertaken and the invoice has been settled, you should submit the application.
  
  
• What is the deadline / time limit for a claim to be submitted?
  
  The scheme will only accept invoices up to 12 months from the date of issue. The Government has confirmed the funding available for the scheme until March 2020.
  
  
• Is there a limit to the number of applications that I can submit?
  
  No.
  
  
• Appeals – What if I disagree with the grant I am paid for a claim?
  
  In the first instance, you should contact the LPW Helpline. If the matter remains unresolved, your application will be referred to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for a final decision.


• In making an application can we nominate whom payments are made to?
  
  Payments should be made to the organisation that incurred the VAT cost for the repairs – normally this would be the Parochial Church Council or an appropriate body.
  

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