The most far-reaching survey conducted on clergy pay has found that fewer than a 10th of vicars believed the amount they earn was reasonable, but the vast majority conceded that their parishes could not afford to pay them more. We have to persuade people that if they want church they have to pay for church. He admitted that his committee was considering recommending a reduction in the number of clergy as the only way that the church could continue to pay its priests. Two thirds of its 10,000 clergy and licensed lay workers responded to the poll, conducted by an independent research company on behalf of the review group. Some dioceses had reserves, but increasingly they would have to find all their wages from the collection tray.
Clergy get a stipend rather than a salary, although most have the use of a vicarage.
Priests have no protection under law, and women priests are not covered by sex discrimination law. Some women priests don't even get the minimum stipend if their bishop is not in favour of women in the ministry, and they have no claim against unfair dismissal. The main problem clergy have is being forced to live in tied houses. They are paid little because they are not meant to have to pay a mortgage, but priests have to buy a second home on their salary or face being a first time buyer when they retire at 65.