The 2023 monthly Fees form is available to download on this page. Please DO NOT use the 2022 fees form to remit fees for services held in 2023 as the statutory fees amounts due will be incorrect.
Please only use the DBF's official returns forms for remitting fees.
PLEASE NOTE: Statutory fees rates usually change on an annual basis and forms should only be used for the year detailed on the form. Please do not use out of date forms when remitting fees in a new year.
The document should be completed electronically, and upon detailing the number of services, the form will automatically complete the amounts due in respect of both serving and retired clergy fees onto the front summary sheet, giving the actual net amount payable to the DBF, after taking into account any reduction in respect of the DBF’s voluntary grants currently being awarded to PCC’s when administering the fees for crematorium only funeral services. Please only use this form when remitting fees for services held on or after 1 January 2023. Do not use old versions of the form(s) as the fees rates will be incorrect.
For any parishes who may still have outstanding fees to remit, the 2022 & 2021 forms will still be available to download from the website for the next few months. If you find any outstanding fees that have been missed and are owing for previous years, please contact us for copies of the relevant forms.
To use one of the forms below, please initially save it to you computer and close it down, before reopening the form saved to your computer using Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is free to download. Do not fill in the form using your internet browser as it will not work properly. Please also refer to the video and further details below.
2023 Fees Form - To remit fees for services held on or after 1 March 2023 (please see form below for remitting fees for January and February 2023)
PLEASE NOTE: The above form should be used to remit fees for services held on or after 1 March 2023. Fees for January and February 2023 should be sent using the 2023 form below. This is becuase they detail the amount of the statutory fees due to the DBF at that time.
The rates changed from 1 March 2023 following discussion at General Synod in Februray 2023. This is because the fees payable are calculated and based on the fees detailed in the current Table of Parochial Fees (which also changed with effect from 1 March 2023). The Parochial Fees Order 2019 set the framework for fees until 2024. It provided that fees would increase annually in line with CPI,rounded up to the nearest pound. In February 2023 the General Synod approved the parochial Fees (Amending) Order 2023 which capped increases to 5%,rounded up to the nearest pound, in 2023 and 2024.The revised fees as set out in this table came into force the day after the Order was laid before parliament: 1 March 2023.
2023 Fees form - Download* - For use to remit January and February 2023 fees only. (For fees from 1 March 2023 please use the new form above as the statutory fees rates differ)
Fees payments and forms should be remitted to the DBF on a monthly basis by the PCC. Please email completed forms to fees@chester.anglican.org
Fees can be collected by monthly direct debit (forms must be remitted by the 10th of the following month for which you are completing your form at the latest, and will be collected on or around the 20th of the month), sent by electronic bank transfer or paid by cheque.
'Nil' returns forms should be submitted when there are no fees received during the month and again should be sent in by email.
If you have any queries regarding fees matters or need guidance on how to use the new form, please contact Maxine Southwick on 07701 325223 or by email at maxine.southwick@chester.anglican.org
Using the new Fees Form
Fees in respect of occasional services undertaken by serving licenced Clergy & Readers (form 1) and Retired/Clergy holding the Bishop's PTO (forms 2a to 2d) are contained within one usable pdf document. The document can be downloaded using the links above. When inserting the number of services held onto the relevant fees forms, the pages automatically complete the amounts due in respect of these. The form will also reduce the amount due, giving a net amount, after also taking into account the DBF’s voluntary grants currently being awarded to PCC’s when administering the fees for crematorium only funeral services. The totals from each page then transfer onto the front summary sheet, showing the actual amount payable to the DBF for the month.
The statuory fees due to the DBF are those for the period when service is held. Please ensure you use the correct form - do not use old versions of the forms as the fees rates will be incorrect. For audit purposes the DBF need one copy of the fees returns document completing every month. ‘Nil’ returns should be sent if there are no fees received during the month. Completed forms should be emailed to fees@chester.anglican.org
If you have any questions regarding fees or the fees forms? Please contact Maxine Southwick directly by email at maxine.southwick@chester.anglican.org or by telephone on 07701 325223