Church rate facts for kids

The church rate was a special tax that people in England and Ireland used to pay. This money helped support the local parish church. It was used to pay for things like church repairs, holding church services, and paying the people who worked for the church.

This tax was mostly based on old traditions and common practices, not on specific laws passed by Parliament. It was made optional in 1868, but some churches still ask for it voluntarily today.

How the Church Rate Worked

The church rate was decided by the churchwardens (people who look after the church) and the people living in the parish. They would meet after a notice was put up in the church.

Once the rate was set, people were expected to pay it. If someone didn't pay, the church could take them to a special church court called an ecclesiastical court. If the amount owed was small (under £10) and there were no arguments about whether it was legal, two local justices of the peace could handle it.

The church rate was a charge on the person living in a house or on land in the parish. It was compulsory, meaning people had to pay it. However, it was often hard to make everyone pay.

Why the Church Rate Caused Problems

The church rate became a big problem, especially for people called Nonconformists. These were Protestants who did not belong to the official Church of England. They felt it was wrong to have to pay money to a church they didn't believe in or attend.

Nonconformists had to support their own churches through donations. They didn't want to also pay for the Church of England. In Ireland, most people were Roman Catholic, so they also strongly disliked paying this tax to the Church of England.

Because of these strong feelings, many people protested against the church rate. Groups were formed all over the country to try and get rid of it. In 1836, a main group called the Church Rate Abolition Society was created in London to help all the local groups work together.

When the Church Rate Changed

In 1837, the government made some changes to help Nonconformists. They introduced a new marriage ceremony that was more acceptable to them. They also started civil registration for births, deaths, and marriages, which meant these events could be officially recorded without going through the Church of England.

However, the church rate itself remained compulsory. Even important politicians like Lord John Russell supported keeping the rate. But by 1856, even a major newspaper like The Times said that the country was having a "civil war" over the church rate issue because of all the arguments and protests.

Finally, in 1868, a law called the Compulsory Church Rate Abolition Act was passed. This Act made church rates no longer compulsory. People could choose to pay them or not. If someone chose not to pay, they couldn't have a say in how the money was spent or object to it.

The Church Rate Today

Even though the church rate is no longer compulsory, some churches still ask for voluntary payments. This is allowed under a law from 1956 called the Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1956.

For example, all Church of England churches within the City of London still ask for the church rate. Also, Hampstead Parish Church has written down how they ask for voluntary rates, as a good example for other churches.

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