Scientology claims annual IAS event generates more for the UK economy than Eurovision
Posted on April 19, 2026 by Alexander Barnes-Ross
The Church of Scientology have resubmitted proposals for a major redevelopment of their UK headquarters near East Grinstead, Sussex claiming their annual IAS event brings more benefit to the UK economy than the Eurovision Song Contest.
Saint Hill Manor, which was once home to founder L. Ron Hubbard, serves as the venue for the annual gathering of Scientology’s official membership body, the International Association of Scientologists (IAS). The event typically takes place in October and sees thousands of faithful parishioners travel from across the world to hear reclusive leader David Miscavige speak in a mammoth marquee erected illegally without planning permission. It spans an entire weekend: there is a three-hour speech from their Dear Leader on Friday, a ‘Patrons Ball’ on Saturday at which Scientology mega donors are awarded for their financial contributions and a charity concert on Sunday aimed primarily at gaining the support of local community groups and wooing local dignitaries.
The purpose of the whole event is to raise money for IAS and indeed Scientology’s lawyers confirmed at Premises Licence Review meeting earlier this year that the event does not involve any acts of worship and is not religious in nature. Staff members are rounded up from Orgs across the United Kingdom to staff the event, a leaked document we recently published showing the majority of whom are given sales or fundraising jobs. But let’s not forget: Scientology does not have charity status in the UK, which means they are required to pay 25% Corporation Tax on their profits. For this reason, the IAS event – as with many of the Church’s activities here – are funnelled through a complex web of shell companies and overseas entities to avoid paying tax. Last year Scientology reported £19.5 million in UK income and said it had £22.8 million cash on-hand but paid just £1,978 in Corporation Tax and £73,362 VAT (sales tax).
But none of this, of course, is mentioned in the economic assessment provided by the Church in a desperate attempt to justify major new works needed in order to continue hosting their annual IAS event at Saint Hill. Instead, Scientology argue that their event generates a gross benefit to the UK economy of “£21.7 million”, which works out to be 5.5x greater per-head than the Eurovision Song Contest when it was held in Liverpool three years ago.
“The overall gross economic impact of the Eurovision Song Contest to Liverpool was £88.3 million. This includes visitor spend and spend by organisers, but it does not include any monetised media and advertising benefit. This compares with £11.3 million of gross benefits that accrued to Sussex from the IAS 2025 Annual Anniversary event. The overall benefit per visitor of the Eurovision Song Contest was £289. This compares with £1,615 of economic benefit per visitor to Sussex, as a result of the IAS 2025 Annual Anniversary event.”
The report also contains a number of inconsistencies, even when it comes to their own figures. In one table, it lists the number of attendees to the 2025 Charity Concert as 1,200 but a few pages later in the same document it says “over 1,500 people attended.” The total number of guests across the three days “exceeded 7,000” including staff, the Church argues – however no evidence is provided no how they achieved this figure and there was no mention of Scientology’s tendency to count the same individual multiple times if they attend more than one event.
We did learn, however, that the IAS event itself “costs around £3.5 million to hold”, including the hiring of a mammoth marquee used to host the gathering, transport, entertainment and catering. Though we were unable to see any record of this being accounted for in the annual filings submitted to Companies House by their UK operating arm (COSRECI) or Membership Services Administration UK Limited, the UK branch of the IAS.
The economic assessment was likely produced in response to backlash from local campaigners, residents and government agencies which have shot the plans down on multiple occasions over the last year. In January, the Campaign to Protect Rural England called the proposals “deplorable”, explaining their plans for a “mega car park” and over 80,000 square feet in temporary event structures were “plainly incompatible” with local planning laws and amounts to unjustified overdevelopment of a protected Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). “It offers very limited public economic or social benefits to counteract its serious environmental downsides. It offers no new housing or employment or business generation opportunities, and virtually no public real or infrastructure enhancements,” they argued.
West Sussex Highways also raised concerns, calling the application “insufficient” and “open-ended” and East Grinstead Town Council rejected the plans due to the site’s location in an AONB. The Church subsequently pulled the application before it was set to be voted on by Mid-Sussex District Council.
Now the application has been re-submitted along with questionable evidence, it is clear Scientology are scrambling to justify this huge development – which would result in permanent damage, alteration and change to the rural landscape – all for an event that takes place over 3 days once a year.
The Council have asked the Church for an extension until 29th May to allow them time to review the new documents before assessing whether to approve or reject the application. Members of the public are able to submit their comments until 7th May referencing application number DM/25/2223.
Comments must relate to material planning considerations (legitimate, site-specific issues defined by planning policy rather than personal opinions) such as ecological impact, traffic/highway safety, design/character and local heritage. Comments must include your full legal name and postal address in order to be considered, however in light of Scientology’s reputation for Fair Game the Council has agreed to redact personal information (name, email and address) from responses published on the planning portal.