Commonwealth war burials

There has been some media coverage which suggests that, as part of our burials consultation,  the Law Commission is proposing that Commonwealth war graves (graves of servicemen and women who died in the first and second world wars) should be reused. This is not the case.

Grave reuse is currently permitted by law in London local authority cemeteries, and a few cemeteries with their own private Acts of Parliament. In these cemeteries, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission must be notified before a burial ground operator seeks to reuse a grave, and has the power to object to the reuse of a Commonwealth war grave.

Our provisional proposals would include these same requirements in any extension of grave reuse. That would mean the Commonwealth War Graves Commission would be able to stop Commonwealth war graves being reused. Our provisional proposals would also give the Commonwealth War Graves Commission additional rights to enable them to protect Commonwealth war graves in other ways.

Our provisional proposals therefore seek to increase rather than decrease the protection available to Commonwealth war graves.