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[News] Should The Church pay tax?



abc

Well-known member
Jan 6, 2007
1,028
"Humanitarian charity Christian Aid has urged the government to crack down on tax avoidance after a new poll found 89 per cent of British adults say tax avoidance by large companies is morally wrong even if it's legal".

The Church of England have assets of over £5 billion and are currently making hundreds of millions more from land for housing development sales in the south east alone. They are a registered charity and so pay no tax. This isn't meant in any way as an attack on religion or faith but surely they should also pay tax on moral grounds even if avoidance is legal?
 












abc

Well-known member
Jan 6, 2007
1,028
CoE is asset rich, cash poor.

Not a reason not to pay tax even if so. Tax is not paid on assets only income. But in reality the C of E enjoy huge incomes from land sales, commercial and agricultural tenants, equity investments and so on, yet pay no tax.
 


NooBHA

Well-known member
Jan 13, 2015
8,584
All religions and private schools should pay tax imo.

Normally I would agree but almost all Religious Groups support the poor in terms of Soup Kitchens and Food Banks and providing accommodation for the homeless. To make them pay tax might halt a lot of the good work that most religions do and I am by no means religious myself personally
 


Westdene Seagull

aka Cap'n Carl Firecrotch
NSC Patreon
Oct 27, 2003
20,938
The arse end of Hangleton
I'd like to say yes but it isn't that straight forward.

It has 16,000 churches to maintain yet only attract 760,000 people each week to worship - less than 50 people per church. That seems like an extravagance and maybe it should look to sell some of those assets ...... and pay tax on the sales.

On the other hand it is responsible for the upkeep on 45% of the country's Grade I listed buildings for which it should get a tax break.
 




beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
35,265
if its a charity, and we accept charities do not pay tax, then no the Church should not pay tax.
 


Half Time Pies

Well-known member
Sep 7, 2003
1,402
Brighton
"Humanitarian charity Christian Aid has urged the government to crack down on tax avoidance after a new poll found 89 per cent of British adults say tax avoidance by large companies is morally wrong even if it's legal".

The Church of England have assets of over £5 billion and are currently making hundreds of millions more from land for housing development sales in the south east alone. They are a registered charity and so pay no tax. This isn't meant in any way as an attack on religion or faith but surely they should also pay tax on moral grounds even if avoidance is legal?

Its not tax avoidance is it though. The Church is a charity and charities pay no tax, there is nothing to discuss is there?
 


jakarta

Well-known member
May 25, 2007
15,616
Sullington
Not a reason not to pay tax even if so. Tax is not paid on assets only income. But in reality the C of E enjoy huge incomes from land sales, commercial and agricultural tenants, equity investments and so on, yet pay no tax.

Mrs Jakarta sits on a PCC and Storrington isn't a poor Parish but balancing the budget is parlous.

There is a constant pressure on keeping the three 1000 year old buildings we have in fettle, let alone paying the Clergy to work in them.

Perhaps you could let us know where these 'huge incomes' are going?
 




Wrong-Direction

Well-known member
Mar 10, 2013
13,395
Knock all religious buildings down and build flats.

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Gazwag

5 millionth post poster
Mar 4, 2004
30,093
Bexhill-on-Sea
Em, Churches earn income predominantly from its congregations taxed income, why should it pay tax, those who say it should pay tax, should AITC pay tax then.

Churches pay 10% tax as such as they try and give 10% of their income away in charitable grants.
 


Westdene Seagull

aka Cap'n Carl Firecrotch
NSC Patreon
Oct 27, 2003
20,938
The arse end of Hangleton
Knock all religious buildings down and build flats.

Sent from my SM-A310F using Tapatalk

Seems a bit drastic - I'm in no way religious but some churches are magnificent - St Helens' in Hangleton for example.
 




Wrong-Direction

Well-known member
Mar 10, 2013
13,395
Seems a bit drastic - I'm in no way religious but some churches are magnificent - St Helens' in Hangleton for example.
Yeah tbf the only good thing to come out of religion is the architecture

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abc

Well-known member
Jan 6, 2007
1,028
Its not tax avoidance is it though. The Church is a charity and charities pay no tax, there is nothing to discuss is there?

Firstly may I refer you back to the Christian Aid position claiming there is a moral case to pay tax regardless of whether you legally have to. Secondly why is such a enormously wealthy organisation permitted charity status in the first place? The Church pay their Clergy, Google pay their IT staff. They are both essentially businesses (and the Church Commissioners are as commercially ruthless in business as anyone) and so should surely both pay tax.
 


abc

Well-known member
Jan 6, 2007
1,028
Em, Churches earn income predominantly from its congregations taxed income

Not so. The majority of the C of E's income comes from investments, commercial,residential and agricultural rents and land sales for development. Individual congregations may contribute income to the running of their own church but I am not suggesting that they should be taxed.
 




Westdene Seagull

aka Cap'n Carl Firecrotch
NSC Patreon
Oct 27, 2003
20,938
The arse end of Hangleton
Firstly may I refer you back to the Christian Aid position claiming there is a moral case to pay tax regardless of whether you legally have to. Secondly why is such a enormously wealthy organisation permitted charity status in the first place? The Church pay their Clergy, Google pay their IT staff. They are both essentially businesses (and the Church Commissioners are as commercially ruthless in business as anyone) and so should surely both pay tax.

Google are taxed on profit made after paying their staff - the Church makes no profit.
 


Saunders

Well-known member
Oct 1, 2017
2,292
Brighton
if its a charity, and we accept charities do not pay tax, then no the Church should not pay tax.
This should be the case but we shouldnt be accepting the church of scientology as a charity as Germany have refused them. All religions are cults so dont want to use that word but more should be done to defend against malicious and dangerous organisations.
 



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