By Tess Rushin

The fate of a scheme to benefit churches in Ashby and across Leicestershire is up the air after it was omitted from the Chancellor's budget.

The Listed Places of Worship (LPW) grant provides tax relief for repairs on historic religious buildings, with one MP calling it a "really important" scheme.

However, the fund's future is in doubt after Chancellor Rachel Reeves omitted the LPW in last week's budget.

The LPW, which has been in place since 2001, is due to expire next March and has provided help to many Leicestershire churches, with last year's grants seeing Leicester Cathedral receive more than £600,000 to help its restoration, including renewing the cathedral's heating, lighting and electrics and creating a heritage learning centre for visitors.

Ashby churches benefitted from the following funds last year:

• St. Helen's Church, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, LE65 1AB £1,424.86

• Ashby Baptist Church, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, LE65 1HA £699.25

• Church of the Holy Trinity, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, LE65 2FR £2,683.40

• St James Church Smisby, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, LE65 2TA £7,491.40

St Helen's Church in Ashby. Photo: Ashby Nub News

The uncertain future for the scheme has led to one Leicestershire MP to call for a rethink on the fund's importance. Neil O'Brien, the Harborough, Oadby and Wigston MP, said: "I think it's a really important scheme because the groups that are trying to preserve all these beautiful buildings for the next generation are often a bunch of volunteers, they don't have lots of money."

Mr O'Brien spoke out after he became involved with the LPW following its funds helping a church in his constituency. He believed support for the project's continuation was needed to help the buildings – and the communities.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): "It's so important that we try and nip problems in the bud with these kind of buildings, if we don't do the restoration work when it's needed, we will end up with huge costs later on or lose them altogether. I have never heard criticism from a single constituent of spending on stuff like this. They don't just benefit the people who go to them. They benefit anyone who appreciates living near them."

On the Government website, it says the LPW covers the VAT on repairs of over £1,000 to listed buildings used as places of worship. Claims can also be submitted in any 12 month period that is less than £1,000, but more than £500. The scheme is run by the DCMS and is funded until March 31, 2025.