The Church
Commissioners manage an investment portfolio, held
mostly in company shares and property, to produce money to support
the Church of England's work across the country.
The Commissioners were formed from the union in 1948 of two
earlier bodies - Queen Anne's Bounty and the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners - set up to support the work of the church. Read more
about the Commissioners' history.
Their work is organised into three main areas:
- Asset management. Their
fund includes UK and overseas company shares, private equity and
gilts, UK urban and rural property and holdings in overseas managed
property funds
- Spending. The Commissioners' support
for the church at national and local level includes funding towards
the ministry of bishops and cathedrals and for mission at parish
level. They also run the national clergy
payroll, manage the publication of Crockford's
Clerical Directory and fund a large share of clergy
pensions.
- Pastoral and
closed churches - The Commissioners help dioceses and local
churches deal with pastoral reorganisation, parsonage and glebe
matters and settle the future of churches closed for public
worship.
There are 33 Church Commissioners. Read more about the
Commissioners' membership, governance and
staff.
The Commissioners' annual report
and other downloadable resources contain
more details of their recent work.