You asked
Could you tell me how many recorded Church of England buildings/churches have been closed down each year because of neglect or finances for the past twenty years, or as far back as the data is available please?
We said
Thank you for your Freedom of Information request.
Unfortunately we do not hold the information you require. The data held on the Inter Departmental Business Register (IDBR) show the number of businesses registered for VAT and/or PAYE. Each business has a Standard Industrial Classification (SIC). The closest SIC to the one you require is 94910 - 'activities of religious organisations.' However, this would include all religious denominations not just the Church of England. We do not hold information regarding the reason why a business closes down. I’m sorry that we cannot help on this occasion but if you require further assistance you can contact the IDBR team directly by e-mailing idbrdas@ons.gov.uk.