LONDON: The blessing of the Lord may bring spiritual wealth, but eternal riches are no consolation for Church of England priests facing an earthly cost-of-living crisis.

On Monday, clergy and lay officers of the church, headed by King Charles III, submitted their first demand for a pay raise since the church was founded in 1534.

Their union, Unite, said they want a 9.5-percent increase in the annual stipend that priests receive from next year.

“Like all workers, Church of England clergy are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis,” said Unite general secretary Sharon Graham.

“While many will argue their work is a vocation, the simple truth is that on their current rewards they are among the working poor.

“The Church of England has billions in the bank and can fully afford to pay its clergy the modest increase in their stipend they are seeking.

“The clergy deliver a clear message for the Church of faith in the hereafter. Unite is fighting for a better deal for them in the here and now.”

Unite’s Church of England Clergy and Employee Advocates (CEECA) branch will submit proposals to the church’s remunerations committee, which advises on stipends.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2023