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2026 Renewals

2026 Renewals for Lay Local Ministers

01 May 2026 is the quinquennial renewal for Lay Local Ministers in the diocese.

On this page you can find the following information about the quinquennial renewal:

If you have any other queries about the quinquennial renewal please contact Cath Hughes.

 

Who needs to apply for a renewal?

  • All licensed Readers
  • All licensed Lay Funeral Ministers
  • All Authorised Lay Ministers (unless they will be 70 years of age on 01 May 2026)
  • Some Readers and Lay Funeral Ministers with PtO, depending on the expiry date of their current PtO.  Please check the expiry date on your current PtO or check with Cath Hughes if you are not sure.

I will be 70 years of age on 01 May 2026

  • Readers and licensed Lay Funeral Ministers who are 70 years of age will be invited to transfer to a Permission to Officiate (PtO).  Please follow the renewal instructions for PtO.
  • Authorised Lay Ministers who are 70 years of age will be invited to transfer to local commissioning. Locally Commissioned Lay Ministers are administered locally and do not need to submit any renewal paperwork to the Vocations and Training team.

 

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What is the deadline for the renewal?

  • All renewal documents should be submitted by 01 May 2026.
  • All current licences and authorisations, and those PtOs with an expiry date of 30 April 2026, will cease to be valid on 01 May 2026 unless they are renewed.
  • Late applications will be processed from the date they are received but please note that the lay minister will not be authorised to offer ministry in the meantime.

 

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How long will my renewal last?

Licensed Readers and Lay Funeral Ministers / Authorised Lay Ministers

  • Licences and authorisations will be renewed for 5 years, until the next quinquennial renewal on 01 May 2031.
  • Please note that as DBS clearance and safeguarding training are requirements of your ministry, your licence or authorisation will only remain valid if these are kept up to date.

I will turn 70 before 01 May 2031

  • Your licence or authorisation will be renewed until the renewal period (01 May) after your 70th birthday. You will then be invited to transfer to a Permission to Officiate (PtO) or to local commissioning.

Readers and Lay Funeral Ministers with PtO

  • The length of PtO depends on the age of the Reader or Lay Funeral Minister: age 70 - 3 years; age 71-75 - 2 years; age 76 and over - 1 year.
  • If your safeguarding training is still in progress at the time of your renewal, you will be issued with a PtO for 1 year, regardless of your age, on the understanding that you complete the training as soon as possible.
  • Please note that as DBS clearance and safeguarding training are requirements of your ministry, your PtO will only remain valid if these are kept up to date.

 

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Renewal Forms

  • Please use the 2026 renewal form.
  • The relevant paperwork will be sent to Lay Ministers by email or you can download the renewal forms here:

Readers

Reader PtOs

Lay Funeral Ministers

Lay Funeral Minister PtOs

Authorised Lay Ministers

 

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What is needed for my renewal?

Licensed Readers, Licensed Lay Funeral Ministers and Authorised Lay Ministers

Readers and Lay Funeral Ministers with PtO

For more information on the renewal requirements see the sections below.

 

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DBS Clearance

  • All Lay Local Ministers must have a valid DBS certificate for their lay ministry role in the diocese,
  • DBS certificates are valid for 3 years.For the 2026 quinquennial renewal DBS certificates must be dated 01 August 2023 or later.

Licensed Readers and Lay Funeral Ministers

  • Enhanced certificate for adult and child workforce, including adult and child barred list checks.

Readers and Lay Funeral Ministers

  • Enhanced certificate for adult and child workforce, including adult and child barred list checks.

Authorised Lay Ministers

  • Enhanced certificate appropriate to the role in the parish.

Information about DBS checks can be found on the website here.

  • Please note that without a valid DBS certificate we will not be able to renew your licence, authorisation or PtO.

 

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Safeguarding Training

  • All Lay Local Ministers are required to have valid safeguarding training.
  • Safeguarding training is valid for 3 years.For the 2026 quinquennial renewal safeguarding training must be dated 01 August 2023 or later.

Licensed Readers, Licensed Lay Funeral Ministers and Authorised Lay Ministers

  • Basic Awareness
  • Foundation
  • Leadership
  • Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse

Readers and Lay Funeral Ministers with PtO

  • Basic Awareness
  • Foundation
  • PtO Pathway (unless Leadership level is required for another role)
  • Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse

How to renew your safeguarding training

If you need to renew or complete your Basic Awareness, Foundation or Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse training, you can access these modules online via the National Safeguarding Team training portal.

If you need to renew your Leadership or PtO pathway training you will receive an email  from the Safeguarding Team inviting you to join a training cohort. Please contact Sarah Fullard to make arrangements.

If your leadership or PtO pathway training is still in progress on 01 May 2026 then your licence/authorisation renewal or PtO application will be granted on the understanding that the training is completed as soon as possible. You must have completed the Basic Awareness and Foundation courses and have a confirmed place on a training cohort for the Leadership or PtO pathway training.

Information about safeguarding training can be found on the website here.

 

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Reviews

Licensed Readers and Authorised Lay Ministers

Licensed Readers and Authorised Lay Ministers are required to have a full review with their incumbent once every five years.  This includes:

  • getting feedback from other people about your ministry.  Please pass the 180 degree questionnaire to 4-6 people who have experience of your ministry. These forms are to be completed anonymously and returned to your incumbent.
  • completing the review form and sending it to your incumbent before your review.
  • having a review with your incumbent, during which you agree a role descriptor/working agreement.

Licensed Lay Funeral Ministers

Licensed Lay Funeral Ministers are required to have a full review with their incumbent once every five years.  This includes:

  • completing the review form and sending it to your incumbent before your review.
  • having a review with your incumbent, during which you agree a role descriptor/working agreement.

Review Documents

The review paperwork will be emailed to Readers, Lay Funeral Ministers and ALMs or can be downloaded here:

You do not need to send the review or role descriptor paperwork with your licence/authorisation renewal application.

Readers and Lay Funeral Ministers with PtO

Readers and Lay Funeral Ministers with PtO are advised to have an annual review with their incumbent to agree their role descriptor but this does not form part of the PtO renewal/application process.

Role descriptor templates for Reader PtOs and Lay Funeral Minister PtOs and a role descriptor guide can be used it you wish.

 

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Continuing Ministerial Development

Licensed Readers, Licensed Lay Funeral Ministers and Authorised Lay Ministers

  • Licensed and authorised lay ministers are asked to complete the equivalent of 1 day a year of CMD to develop their ministry. Details of training opportunties can be found here.

Readers and Lay Funeral Ministers with PtO

  • Lay ministers with PtO are advised to continue to develop their ministry and access relevant training opportunities but CMD does not form part of the Reader or Lay Funeral Minister PtO renewal/application process.

 

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What do incumbents need to do?

There are a number of ways in which incumbents can support their Lay Local Ministers with the quinqeunnial renewal and a number of things they need to do as part of the renewal process.

  • Confirm your support for the continuing ministry of the Lay Local Minister by signing the last section of the renewal form or by emailing Cath Hughes and including the statement from the renewal form.
  • Confirm the support of the PCC for the continuing ministry of the Lay Local Minister and ensure that a representative of the PCC either signs the renewal form or emails Cath Hughes.
  • Have a review with the Lay Local Minister and agree a role descriptor. (For lay ministers with PtO this is recommended but not required.)
  • Support Lay Local Ministers with DBS applications/renewals where needed.
  • Support Lay Local Ministers to access online safeguarding training if necessary.
  • Support Lay Local Ministers with the technical aspects of completing the renewal process if needed, e.g. emailing and scanning documents.

For more information on the requirements for the renewal, please see the sections above.

Please contact Cath Hughes with any queries about the renewal process or about LLMs in your parish/benefice. Thank you for your support.

 

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Page last updated: Wednesday 25th February 2026 2:49 PM
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