Retired Clergy Finances

We value the contribution made to church life in the diocese by retired clergy. Please see the Ordained Ministry Retired Clergy web page for more information

Only Retired Clergy with Permission To Officiate (PTO) should be officiating at services and claiming an apportionment of the fee.  Archbishops’ Council have stated that if a minister without PTO takes a Church of England service he/she is acting illegally, and by taking the service itself is liable to action under the Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM) even if he/she takes no fee.

Fees are to be apportioned by the PCC on the basis of 50% of the DBF fee to the officiant Retired Minister and 50% entered on the Diocesan Record of Fees Received sheets for periodic remittance to the DBF. All working expenses should be reimbursed.

Retired Ministers receiving such part fees are responsible for declaring the income to HMRC for tax purposes. Should the Retired Minister not wish to accept a fee, then the fees contact should include the whole DBF fee in the next remittance to Diocesan office.