Church buildings during COVID-19

Latest updates

Please see the Coronavirus Info page on this website for the latest national and diocesan announcements on churches during COVID-19, further to which specific guidance on church buildings follows below.

Current guidance

Guidance on church buildings during COVID-19 is available on the national Church of England website and is linked to below. Please check you have the most up-to-date versions of guidance, for which a new version may have been published.

Public access

• Opening and managing church buildings (updated 9th December 2021)

A specific risk assessment should be completed by the parish before public access to a church building:

• Risk assessment template for opening church buildings to the public

Permissions for mitigations

The Chancellor of the Diocese of Lichfield has published (2nd July 2020) an Additional Matters Order, which allows for the installation of internet access equipment and wall-mounted hand sanitiser dispensers without a faculty (subject to conditions).

Additional Matter permission (granted by the Archdeacon) is applied for through an online application via the Online Faculty System (OFS), described as an 'Additional Diocesan matter' at the bottom of the List B selection screen.

Please note: The DAC officers and Archdeacons can provide further advice on the process of seeking such permission.

COVID-19 vaccination centres

• Churches and halls as vaccination centres (diocesan permission)

Cleaning

• A range of hygiene and cleaning supplies, as well as personal protective equipment (PPE), is available to purchase through the Parish Buying website

Current procedures

DAC and adviser site visits

Site visits to church buildings and churchyards conducted by Lichfield DAC members and advisers have resumed from 19th July 2021, in relation to step 4 of the Government roadmap out of lockdown, subject to individual requirements and local situations, and in accordance with the following diocesan policy and procedure.

The procedure linked to below has been updated following the move to the Government's Plan B, including mandatory face coverings from 10th December 2021, in response to the risks of the Omicron variant:

• DAC and adviser site visits during COVID-19