The Church of England has recently released a new records retention schedule and accompanying guidance which helps you and your parish ensure best practice when it comes to data compliance:
>> Records and Information Management | The Church of England
This schedule (published in 2025) replaces the previous guides on retention, including: Keep or Bin, Cherish or Chuck, Chapter and Verse, and Save and Delete. Your retention policy may need amending considering this new schedule.
It is primarily designed for use by the following: Cathedrals, Minsters, Bishops Offices, Diocesan Offices (Including DBF’s DBE’s), Archdeacons, Deaneries, and Parishes of the Church of England.
Why should you use this schedule?
The schedule sets out how long records should be retained for, and the justification for that retention and what the disposal action should be. It was developed in consultation with a range of stakeholders from across the Church of England. It provides best practice for applying retention and disposition of records held by church bodies.
- • It is far more comprehensive than the previous schedules
- • It provides defensible reasons for retaining, archiving and destroying records
- • It should give you confidence that you can destroy records at the appropriate time
- • It supports the requirements of Data Protection Legislation
- • It supports good record keeping practices
Please note that this is a living document and so it will be regularly revised and updated as the need arises, for example to include new records, or when legislation or business practice changes. Keep an eye out for further guidance notes being released in the coming months
