This FREE to enter competition is NOW OPEN until 30 June 2026 and is open to any Burial Authority (Cemetery or Churchyard) within Britain.

This year there are only 50 yes/no questions focused primarily on the facilities offered directly to the bereaved, reducing the time to enter to around 15 minutes. Feedback on the scores is given at the end of the questionnaire. Each question has a link to a “best practice” example which may help if your cemetery is currently not providing the facility to the bereaved.

The three categories of Cemeteries in this year’s competition are –

1) Large Burial Grounds above 10,000 graves.

Click on this link to take part: https://forms.gle/HxmemRuTwobfp262A

2) Small/Medium Burial Grounds up to 10,000 graves

Click on this link to take part: https://forms.gle/LFkSJe1LSnBdKVAJ8

3) Parish, Town and Community Councils

Click on this link to take part: https://forms.gle/MjLGDwbMArxbZw929

New for 2026: BRAMM Standard Gold, Silver and Bronze certificates will be given to ALL entrants achieving the appropriate standard based on the scores achieved in the Questionnaire.

After the Awards close the highest scores in each category will also be taken forward and asked to supply 3 photographs of their Cemetery. Extra marks will be awarded for the maintenance and appeal of the Cemetery and used to determine the

Cemetery of the Year Awards Gold and Silver places in each category.

The winner in each category will receive a Cemetery of the Year Gold Award Certificate and plaque, and a Cemetery of the Year Press Release that can be used to promote your achievement, in your local newspaper, social media and on your website.

Silver Awards Certificates will be presented to the runners up along with a CYA Press Release.

Note: The competition will also include the following extra category in this year’s competition:

The Best New CYA Entrant Award, for the highest scoring new entry in each category in CYA 2026.

The winner will receive a CYA Best New Entrant Certificate and a CYA Press Release that can be used to promote your achievement, in your local newspaper, social media and on your website.

Cemetery of the Year Awards 2026 Rules.

1. Any person entering the Cemetery of the Year competition accepts full responsibility for the accuracy and content of their responses to the prescribed questions. All answers must be provided truthfully, accurately, and in good faith. Entrants are expected to have due regard to, and demonstrate compliance with, all applicable Cemetery Regulations when submitting their responses.
2. Entry to the competitions is restricted to one entry per Cemetery please, but multiple cemeteries from the same burial authority can enter.
3. If more than one Cemetery using an identical set of Cemetery Rules and Regulations from the same Burial Authority reaches the finalists in the same category, the organisers reserve the right to choose only one entry in that category.
4. The competition is open to any Burial Authority (Cemetery or Churchyard) within Britain.
5. After the close of the competition the top scoring entrants in each category will be invited to submit three photographs of their Cemetery. The photographs will be judged by a team from the BRAMM Committee and extra marks to be awarded for the maintenance and appeal of the Cemeteries and used to determine the Gold and Silver places in each category.
6. The Judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered in to.
7. The competition will run from March 31 until June 30 2026.
8. The finalists in each category will be invited to the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM) Conference in September 2026 to receive their prizes.Good Luck!