I recently met a widow who told me that her husband was an Officer of the Order of the British Empire but was not sure what he did to receive it. What are the requirements to be honored as Officer of the Order of the British Empire?

The honours system recognises people who have:

Nominate someone for an honour or award

Overview

made achievements in public life

committed themselves to serving and helping Britain

They’ll usually have made life better for other people or be outstanding at what they do.

They must still be actively involved in what you’re nominating them for. The only honours which can be awarded after someone’s death are gallantry awards.

Whether someone gets an honour - and the honour they get - is decided by an honours committee. The committee’s recommendations go to the Prime Minister and then to the Queen, who awards the honour.

Nominating someone for an honour

Anyone can nominate someone for an honour.

How you apply depends on whether you want to:

nominate someone in the UK

nominate someone for their work in responding to coronavirus (COVID-19)

nominate someone overseas

nominate someone for a gallantry award

After you nominate someone for an honour

You’ll get an acknowledgment - but you may not hear anything else for 12 to 18 months.

All nominees will be checked by various government departments to make sure they’re suitable for an honour. This may include checks by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

The honours committee reviews those nominations that are sent to it.

What people get honours for

People get honours for achievements like:

making a difference to their community or field of work

enhancing Britain’s reputation

long-term voluntary service

innovation and entrepreneurship

changing things, with an emphasis on achievement

improving life for people less able to help themselves

displaying moral courage

Honours are given to people involved in fields including:

community, voluntary and local services

arts and media

health

sport

education

science and technology

business and the economy

civil or political service

Group nominations

You can only nominate individuals for honours.

You can nominate a volunteer group for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Nominate someone who lives in the UK

You can nominate someone for an honour online.

There’s a different process for coronavirus (COVID-19) nominations and gallantry awards.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re nominating them. Read the guidance on how to write a nomination.

You’ll also need:

your nominee’s name, age, address and contact details

details of relevant work or volunteering they’ve done

details of any awards or other recognition they’ve received

2 supporting letters to back up your nomination - these should be from people who know the nominee personally

You can include any evidence you have of recognition your nominee has received for their achievements, for example articles, photos or letters.

You can save your nomination and come back to it later.

Make a nomination

Make a nomination by email

Download and fill in the honours nomination form and email it to the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You can also ask the unit questions about the nomination process.

Nominate someone for coronavirus-related work

You can nominate someone who has made an exceptional contribution to the response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis in the UK.

Anyone can make a nomination and there is no deadline. Nominations will be considered by an independent honours committee.

How to make a nomination

What you need to include

You should try to include:

the nominee’s name

any contact details

their role

a summary of the impact the person has made

You can add additional documents, for example letters of support, as attachments to your email.

What happens next

You’ll get an acknowledgment. Nominations will be processed as quickly as possible.

Nominate someone who lives or works abroad

You can nominate someone for an honour if they live or work abroad and they’ve made achievements in either:

the UK and their achievement has a significant international element

another country

They’ll be given an ‘honorary award’ if they’re not:

British

a national of a country where the Queen is Head of State

There’s a different process for gallantry awards.

Download and fill in the nomination form and send it to the Royal, Ceremonial and Honours Unit, part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Recommend someone for a gallantry award

Civilian gallantry awards recognise the bravery of people who’ve put themselves in danger to save (or attempt to save) someone’s life. Recommendations are judged on:

degree of risk

how aware the nominee was of the danger

persistence

The incident must have taken place in the last 5 years. You can recommend someone after they’ve died – they’ll get a posthumous award. They do not have to be British (except for the George Cross award).

Types of gallantry awards

You can recommend someone for the:

George Cross (a first-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great heroism and courage in extreme danger)

George Medal (a second-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great bravery)

Queen’s Gallantry Medal (a third-level civilian medal for bravery, for inspiring acts of bravery)

Queen’s Commendation for Bravery/Bravery in the Air (a fourth-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts which involve risk to life)

How to recommend someone for a gallantry award

Email the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re recommending them. Include the person’s:

name

date of birth

address

Give as many details as possible about what happened. This will make your application more likely to be considered. Include:

location

date

any emergency or official services that were there

After you recommend someone for a gallantry award

All recommendations will be assessed by the George Cross Committee, which makes recommendations to the Queen, who awards the honour.

Types of honours and awards

You cannot nominate someone for a specific honour - that’s decided by the honours committee.

There are also awards for bravery, called gallantry awards.

Companion of Honour

This is awarded for having a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period of time.

Knight or Dame

This is awarded for having a major contribution in any activity, usually at national level. Other people working in the nominee’s area will see their contribution as inspirational and significant, requiring commitment over a long period of time.

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

This is awarded for having a prominent but lesser role at national level, or a leading role at regional level. You can also get one for a distinguished, innovative contribution to any area.

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

This is awarded for having a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally in their chosen area.

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Awarded for an outstanding achievement or service to the community. This will have had a long-term, significant impact and stand out as an example to others.

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Awarded for a ‘hands-on’ service to the local community. This could be a long-term charitable or voluntary activity, or innovative work of a relatively short duration (3 to 4 years) that has made a significant difference.

Royal Victorian Order (RVO)

An award given by the Queen - usually to people who have helped her personally, like members of the Royal household staff or British ambassadors.

The orders

The committee decides which order someone should be a member of. You do not have to specify this in your nomination.

Order | Who can be nominated

Order of the Bath | Senior civil servants and military officers

Order of St Michael and St George | Diplomats and people serving the UK abroad

Order of the British Empire | Anyone

Companion of Honour (award) | Anyone

Royal Victorian Order | People who have served the Queen or the Monarchy in a personal way

Most awards are in the Order of the British Empire.

Honours lists

The lists of who’s received honours are published at New Year and on the Queen’s official birthday in June.

2021 New Year honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 New Year honours.

2021 Queen’s Birthday honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 Queen’s Birthday honours.

Previous honours lists

Read previous honours lists and reports on the honours system.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Honorary Awards

You can read a list of Honorary Awards approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

Civilian gallantry awards

You can read the civilian gallantry list approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

made achievements in public life

Nominate someone for an honour or award

Overview

The honours system recognises people who have:

made achievements in public life

committed themselves to serving and helping Britain

They’ll usually have made life better for other people or be outstanding at what they do.

They must still be actively involved in what you’re nominating them for. The only honours which can be awarded after someone’s death are gallantry awards.

Nominating someone for an honour

Anyone can nominate someone for an honour.

How you apply depends on whether you want to:

nominate someone in the UK

nominate someone for their work in responding to coronavirus (COVID-19)

nominate someone overseas

nominate someone for a gallantry award

After you nominate someone for an honour

You’ll get an acknowledgment - but you may not hear anything else for 12 to 18 months.

The honours committee reviews those nominations that are sent to it.

What people get honours for

People get honours for achievements like:

making a difference to their community or field of work

enhancing Britain’s reputation

long-term voluntary service

innovation and entrepreneurship

changing things, with an emphasis on achievement

improving life for people less able to help themselves

displaying moral courage

Honours are given to people involved in fields including:

community, voluntary and local services

arts and media

health

sport

education

science and technology

business and the economy

civil or political service

Group nominations

You can only nominate individuals for honours.

You can nominate a volunteer group for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Nominate someone who lives in the UK

You can nominate someone for an honour online.

There’s a different process for coronavirus (COVID-19) nominations and gallantry awards.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re nominating them. Read the guidance on how to write a nomination.

You’ll also need:

your nominee’s name, age, address and contact details

details of relevant work or volunteering they’ve done

details of any awards or other recognition they’ve received

2 supporting letters to back up your nomination - these should be from people who know the nominee personally

You can include any evidence you have of recognition your nominee has received for their achievements, for example articles, photos or letters.

You can save your nomination and come back to it later.

Make a nomination

Make a nomination by email

Download and fill in the honours nomination form and email it to the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You can also ask the unit questions about the nomination process.

Nominate someone for coronavirus-related work

You can nominate someone who has made an exceptional contribution to the response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis in the UK.

Anyone can make a nomination and there is no deadline. Nominations will be considered by an independent honours committee.

How to make a nomination

What you need to include

You should try to include:

the nominee’s name

any contact details

their role

a summary of the impact the person has made

You can add additional documents, for example letters of support, as attachments to your email.

What happens next

You’ll get an acknowledgment. Nominations will be processed as quickly as possible.

Nominate someone who lives or works abroad

You can nominate someone for an honour if they live or work abroad and they’ve made achievements in either:

the UK and their achievement has a significant international element

another country

They’ll be given an ‘honorary award’ if they’re not:

British

a national of a country where the Queen is Head of State

There’s a different process for gallantry awards.

Download and fill in the nomination form and send it to the Royal, Ceremonial and Honours Unit, part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Recommend someone for a gallantry award

degree of risk

how aware the nominee was of the danger

persistence

Types of gallantry awards

You can recommend someone for the:

George Cross (a first-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great heroism and courage in extreme danger)

George Medal (a second-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great bravery)

Queen’s Gallantry Medal (a third-level civilian medal for bravery, for inspiring acts of bravery)

Queen’s Commendation for Bravery/Bravery in the Air (a fourth-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts which involve risk to life)

How to recommend someone for a gallantry award

Email the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re recommending them. Include the person’s:

name

date of birth

address

Give as many details as possible about what happened. This will make your application more likely to be considered. Include:

location

date

any emergency or official services that were there

After you recommend someone for a gallantry award

All recommendations will be assessed by the George Cross Committee, which makes recommendations to the Queen, who awards the honour.

Types of honours and awards

You cannot nominate someone for a specific honour - that’s decided by the honours committee.

There are also awards for bravery, called gallantry awards.

Companion of Honour

This is awarded for having a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period of time.

Knight or Dame

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

This is awarded for having a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally in their chosen area.

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Awarded for an outstanding achievement or service to the community. This will have had a long-term, significant impact and stand out as an example to others.

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Royal Victorian Order (RVO)

An award given by the Queen - usually to people who have helped her personally, like members of the Royal household staff or British ambassadors.

The orders

The committee decides which order someone should be a member of. You do not have to specify this in your nomination.

Order | Who can be nominated

Order of the Bath | Senior civil servants and military officers

Order of St Michael and St George | Diplomats and people serving the UK abroad

Order of the British Empire | Anyone

Companion of Honour (award) | Anyone

Royal Victorian Order | People who have served the Queen or the Monarchy in a personal way

Most awards are in the Order of the British Empire.

Honours lists

The lists of who’s received honours are published at New Year and on the Queen’s official birthday in June.

2021 New Year honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 New Year honours.

2021 Queen’s Birthday honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 Queen’s Birthday honours.

Previous honours lists

Read previous honours lists and reports on the honours system.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Honorary Awards

You can read a list of Honorary Awards approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

Civilian gallantry awards

You can read the civilian gallantry list approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

committed themselves to serving and helping Britain

Nominate someone for an honour or award

Overview

The honours system recognises people who have:

made achievements in public life

They’ll usually have made life better for other people or be outstanding at what they do.

They must still be actively involved in what you’re nominating them for. The only honours which can be awarded after someone’s death are gallantry awards.

Nominating someone for an honour

Anyone can nominate someone for an honour.

How you apply depends on whether you want to:

nominate someone in the UK

nominate someone for their work in responding to coronavirus (COVID-19)

nominate someone overseas

nominate someone for a gallantry award

After you nominate someone for an honour

You’ll get an acknowledgment - but you may not hear anything else for 12 to 18 months.

All nominees will be checked by various government departments to make sure they’re suitable for an honour. This may include checks by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

The honours committee reviews those nominations that are sent to it.

What people get honours for

People get honours for achievements like:

making a difference to their community or field of work

enhancing Britain’s reputation

long-term voluntary service

innovation and entrepreneurship

changing things, with an emphasis on achievement

improving life for people less able to help themselves

displaying moral courage

Honours are given to people involved in fields including:

community, voluntary and local services

arts and media

health

sport

education

science and technology

business and the economy

civil or political service

Group nominations

You can only nominate individuals for honours.

You can nominate a volunteer group for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Nominate someone who lives in the UK

You can nominate someone for an honour online.

There’s a different process for coronavirus (COVID-19) nominations and gallantry awards.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re nominating them. Read the guidance on how to write a nomination.

You’ll also need:

your nominee’s name, age, address and contact details

details of relevant work or volunteering they’ve done

details of any awards or other recognition they’ve received

2 supporting letters to back up your nomination - these should be from people who know the nominee personally

You can include any evidence you have of recognition your nominee has received for their achievements, for example articles, photos or letters.

You can save your nomination and come back to it later.

Make a nomination

Make a nomination by email

Download and fill in the honours nomination form and email it to the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You can also ask the unit questions about the nomination process.

Nominate someone for coronavirus-related work

You can nominate someone who has made an exceptional contribution to the response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis in the UK.

Anyone can make a nomination and there is no deadline. Nominations will be considered by an independent honours committee.

How to make a nomination

What you need to include

You should try to include:

the nominee’s name

any contact details

their role

a summary of the impact the person has made

You can add additional documents, for example letters of support, as attachments to your email.

What happens next

You’ll get an acknowledgment. Nominations will be processed as quickly as possible.

Nominate someone who lives or works abroad

You can nominate someone for an honour if they live or work abroad and they’ve made achievements in either:

the UK and their achievement has a significant international element

another country

They’ll be given an ‘honorary award’ if they’re not:

British

a national of a country where the Queen is Head of State

There’s a different process for gallantry awards.

Download and fill in the nomination form and send it to the Royal, Ceremonial and Honours Unit, part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Recommend someone for a gallantry award

Civilian gallantry awards recognise the bravery of people who’ve put themselves in danger to save (or attempt to save) someone’s life. Recommendations are judged on:

degree of risk

how aware the nominee was of the danger

persistence

Types of gallantry awards

You can recommend someone for the:

George Cross (a first-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great heroism and courage in extreme danger)

George Medal (a second-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great bravery)

Queen’s Gallantry Medal (a third-level civilian medal for bravery, for inspiring acts of bravery)

Queen’s Commendation for Bravery/Bravery in the Air (a fourth-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts which involve risk to life)

How to recommend someone for a gallantry award

Email the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re recommending them. Include the person’s:

name

date of birth

address

Give as many details as possible about what happened. This will make your application more likely to be considered. Include:

location

date

any emergency or official services that were there

After you recommend someone for a gallantry award

All recommendations will be assessed by the George Cross Committee, which makes recommendations to the Queen, who awards the honour.

Types of honours and awards

You cannot nominate someone for a specific honour - that’s decided by the honours committee.

There are also awards for bravery, called gallantry awards.

Companion of Honour

This is awarded for having a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period of time.

Knight or Dame

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

This is awarded for having a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally in their chosen area.

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Awarded for an outstanding achievement or service to the community. This will have had a long-term, significant impact and stand out as an example to others.

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Royal Victorian Order (RVO)

An award given by the Queen - usually to people who have helped her personally, like members of the Royal household staff or British ambassadors.

The orders

The committee decides which order someone should be a member of. You do not have to specify this in your nomination.

Order | Who can be nominated

Order of the Bath | Senior civil servants and military officers

Order of St Michael and St George | Diplomats and people serving the UK abroad

Order of the British Empire | Anyone

Companion of Honour (award) | Anyone

Royal Victorian Order | People who have served the Queen or the Monarchy in a personal way

Most awards are in the Order of the British Empire.

Honours lists

The lists of who’s received honours are published at New Year and on the Queen’s official birthday in June.

2021 New Year honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 New Year honours.

2021 Queen’s Birthday honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 Queen’s Birthday honours.

Previous honours lists

Read previous honours lists and reports on the honours system.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Honorary Awards

You can read a list of Honorary Awards approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

Civilian gallantry awards

You can read the civilian gallantry list approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

They’ll usually have made life better for other people or be outstanding at what they do.

Nominate someone for an honour or award

Overview

The honours system recognises people who have:

made achievements in public life

committed themselves to serving and helping Britain

They must still be actively involved in what you’re nominating them for. The only honours which can be awarded after someone’s death are gallantry awards.

Nominating someone for an honour

Anyone can nominate someone for an honour.

How you apply depends on whether you want to:

nominate someone in the UK

nominate someone for their work in responding to coronavirus (COVID-19)

nominate someone overseas

nominate someone for a gallantry award

After you nominate someone for an honour

You’ll get an acknowledgment - but you may not hear anything else for 12 to 18 months.

All nominees will be checked by various government departments to make sure they’re suitable for an honour. This may include checks by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

The honours committee reviews those nominations that are sent to it.

What people get honours for

People get honours for achievements like:

making a difference to their community or field of work

enhancing Britain’s reputation

long-term voluntary service

innovation and entrepreneurship

changing things, with an emphasis on achievement

improving life for people less able to help themselves

displaying moral courage

Honours are given to people involved in fields including:

community, voluntary and local services

arts and media

health

sport

education

science and technology

business and the economy

civil or political service

Group nominations

You can only nominate individuals for honours.

You can nominate a volunteer group for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Nominate someone who lives in the UK

You can nominate someone for an honour online.

There’s a different process for coronavirus (COVID-19) nominations and gallantry awards.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re nominating them. Read the guidance on how to write a nomination.

You’ll also need:

your nominee’s name, age, address and contact details

details of relevant work or volunteering they’ve done

details of any awards or other recognition they’ve received

2 supporting letters to back up your nomination - these should be from people who know the nominee personally

You can include any evidence you have of recognition your nominee has received for their achievements, for example articles, photos or letters.

You can save your nomination and come back to it later.

Make a nomination

Make a nomination by email

Download and fill in the honours nomination form and email it to the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You can also ask the unit questions about the nomination process.

Nominate someone for coronavirus-related work

You can nominate someone who has made an exceptional contribution to the response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis in the UK.

Anyone can make a nomination and there is no deadline. Nominations will be considered by an independent honours committee.

How to make a nomination

What you need to include

You should try to include:

the nominee’s name

any contact details

their role

a summary of the impact the person has made

You can add additional documents, for example letters of support, as attachments to your email.

What happens next

You’ll get an acknowledgment. Nominations will be processed as quickly as possible.

Nominate someone who lives or works abroad

You can nominate someone for an honour if they live or work abroad and they’ve made achievements in either:

the UK and their achievement has a significant international element

another country

They’ll be given an ‘honorary award’ if they’re not:

British

a national of a country where the Queen is Head of State

There’s a different process for gallantry awards.

Download and fill in the nomination form and send it to the Royal, Ceremonial and Honours Unit, part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Recommend someone for a gallantry award

Civilian gallantry awards recognise the bravery of people who’ve put themselves in danger to save (or attempt to save) someone’s life. Recommendations are judged on:

degree of risk

how aware the nominee was of the danger

persistence

Types of gallantry awards

You can recommend someone for the:

George Cross (a first-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great heroism and courage in extreme danger)

George Medal (a second-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great bravery)

Queen’s Gallantry Medal (a third-level civilian medal for bravery, for inspiring acts of bravery)

Queen’s Commendation for Bravery/Bravery in the Air (a fourth-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts which involve risk to life)

How to recommend someone for a gallantry award

Email the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re recommending them. Include the person’s:

name

date of birth

address

Give as many details as possible about what happened. This will make your application more likely to be considered. Include:

location

date

any emergency or official services that were there

After you recommend someone for a gallantry award

All recommendations will be assessed by the George Cross Committee, which makes recommendations to the Queen, who awards the honour.

Types of honours and awards

You cannot nominate someone for a specific honour - that’s decided by the honours committee.

There are also awards for bravery, called gallantry awards.

Companion of Honour

This is awarded for having a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period of time.

Knight or Dame

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

This is awarded for having a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally in their chosen area.

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Awarded for an outstanding achievement or service to the community. This will have had a long-term, significant impact and stand out as an example to others.

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Royal Victorian Order (RVO)

An award given by the Queen - usually to people who have helped her personally, like members of the Royal household staff or British ambassadors.

The orders

The committee decides which order someone should be a member of. You do not have to specify this in your nomination.

Order | Who can be nominated

Order of the Bath | Senior civil servants and military officers

Order of St Michael and St George | Diplomats and people serving the UK abroad

Order of the British Empire | Anyone

Companion of Honour (award) | Anyone

Royal Victorian Order | People who have served the Queen or the Monarchy in a personal way

Most awards are in the Order of the British Empire.

Honours lists

The lists of who’s received honours are published at New Year and on the Queen’s official birthday in June.

2021 New Year honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 New Year honours.

2021 Queen’s Birthday honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 Queen’s Birthday honours.

Previous honours lists

Read previous honours lists and reports on the honours system.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Honorary Awards

You can read a list of Honorary Awards approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

Civilian gallantry awards

You can read the civilian gallantry list approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

People get honours for achievements like:

Nominate someone for an honour or award

Overview

The honours system recognises people who have:

made achievements in public life

committed themselves to serving and helping Britain

They’ll usually have made life better for other people or be outstanding at what they do.

They must still be actively involved in what you’re nominating them for. The only honours which can be awarded after someone’s death are gallantry awards.

Nominating someone for an honour

Anyone can nominate someone for an honour.

How you apply depends on whether you want to:

nominate someone in the UK

nominate someone for their work in responding to coronavirus (COVID-19)

nominate someone overseas

nominate someone for a gallantry award

After you nominate someone for an honour

You’ll get an acknowledgment - but you may not hear anything else for 12 to 18 months.

All nominees will be checked by various government departments to make sure they’re suitable for an honour. This may include checks by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

The honours committee reviews those nominations that are sent to it.

What people get honours for

making a difference to their community or field of work

enhancing Britain’s reputation

long-term voluntary service

innovation and entrepreneurship

changing things, with an emphasis on achievement

improving life for people less able to help themselves

displaying moral courage

Honours are given to people involved in fields including:

community, voluntary and local services

arts and media

health

sport

education

science and technology

business and the economy

civil or political service

Group nominations

You can only nominate individuals for honours.

You can nominate a volunteer group for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Nominate someone who lives in the UK

You can nominate someone for an honour online.

There’s a different process for coronavirus (COVID-19) nominations and gallantry awards.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re nominating them. Read the guidance on how to write a nomination.

You’ll also need:

your nominee’s name, age, address and contact details

details of relevant work or volunteering they’ve done

details of any awards or other recognition they’ve received

2 supporting letters to back up your nomination - these should be from people who know the nominee personally

You can include any evidence you have of recognition your nominee has received for their achievements, for example articles, photos or letters.

You can save your nomination and come back to it later.

Make a nomination

Make a nomination by email

Download and fill in the honours nomination form and email it to the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You can also ask the unit questions about the nomination process.

Nominate someone for coronavirus-related work

You can nominate someone who has made an exceptional contribution to the response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis in the UK.

Anyone can make a nomination and there is no deadline. Nominations will be considered by an independent honours committee.

How to make a nomination

What you need to include

You should try to include:

the nominee’s name

any contact details

their role

a summary of the impact the person has made

You can add additional documents, for example letters of support, as attachments to your email.

What happens next

You’ll get an acknowledgment. Nominations will be processed as quickly as possible.

Nominate someone who lives or works abroad

You can nominate someone for an honour if they live or work abroad and they’ve made achievements in either:

the UK and their achievement has a significant international element

another country

They’ll be given an ‘honorary award’ if they’re not:

British

a national of a country where the Queen is Head of State

There’s a different process for gallantry awards.

Download and fill in the nomination form and send it to the Royal, Ceremonial and Honours Unit, part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Recommend someone for a gallantry award

Civilian gallantry awards recognise the bravery of people who’ve put themselves in danger to save (or attempt to save) someone’s life. Recommendations are judged on:

degree of risk

how aware the nominee was of the danger

persistence

Types of gallantry awards

You can recommend someone for the:

George Cross (a first-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great heroism and courage in extreme danger)

George Medal (a second-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great bravery)

Queen’s Gallantry Medal (a third-level civilian medal for bravery, for inspiring acts of bravery)

Queen’s Commendation for Bravery/Bravery in the Air (a fourth-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts which involve risk to life)

How to recommend someone for a gallantry award

Email the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re recommending them. Include the person’s:

name

date of birth

address

Give as many details as possible about what happened. This will make your application more likely to be considered. Include:

location

date

any emergency or official services that were there

After you recommend someone for a gallantry award

All recommendations will be assessed by the George Cross Committee, which makes recommendations to the Queen, who awards the honour.

Types of honours and awards

You cannot nominate someone for a specific honour - that’s decided by the honours committee.

There are also awards for bravery, called gallantry awards.

Companion of Honour

This is awarded for having a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period of time.

Knight or Dame

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

This is awarded for having a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally in their chosen area.

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Awarded for an outstanding achievement or service to the community. This will have had a long-term, significant impact and stand out as an example to others.

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Royal Victorian Order (RVO)

An award given by the Queen - usually to people who have helped her personally, like members of the Royal household staff or British ambassadors.

The orders

The committee decides which order someone should be a member of. You do not have to specify this in your nomination.

Order | Who can be nominated

Order of the Bath | Senior civil servants and military officers

Order of St Michael and St George | Diplomats and people serving the UK abroad

Order of the British Empire | Anyone

Companion of Honour (award) | Anyone

Royal Victorian Order | People who have served the Queen or the Monarchy in a personal way

Most awards are in the Order of the British Empire.

Honours lists

The lists of who’s received honours are published at New Year and on the Queen’s official birthday in June.

2021 New Year honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 New Year honours.

2021 Queen’s Birthday honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 Queen’s Birthday honours.

Previous honours lists

Read previous honours lists and reports on the honours system.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Honorary Awards

You can read a list of Honorary Awards approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

Civilian gallantry awards

You can read the civilian gallantry list approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

making a difference to their community or field of work

Nominate someone for an honour or award

Overview

The honours system recognises people who have:

made achievements in public life

committed themselves to serving and helping Britain

They’ll usually have made life better for other people or be outstanding at what they do.

They must still be actively involved in what you’re nominating them for. The only honours which can be awarded after someone’s death are gallantry awards.

Nominating someone for an honour

Anyone can nominate someone for an honour.

How you apply depends on whether you want to:

nominate someone in the UK

nominate someone for their work in responding to coronavirus (COVID-19)

nominate someone overseas

nominate someone for a gallantry award

After you nominate someone for an honour

You’ll get an acknowledgment - but you may not hear anything else for 12 to 18 months.

All nominees will be checked by various government departments to make sure they’re suitable for an honour. This may include checks by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

The honours committee reviews those nominations that are sent to it.

What people get honours for

People get honours for achievements like:

enhancing Britain’s reputation

long-term voluntary service

innovation and entrepreneurship

changing things, with an emphasis on achievement

improving life for people less able to help themselves

displaying moral courage

Honours are given to people involved in fields including:

community, voluntary and local services

arts and media

health

sport

education

science and technology

business and the economy

civil or political service

Group nominations

You can only nominate individuals for honours.

You can nominate a volunteer group for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Nominate someone who lives in the UK

You can nominate someone for an honour online.

There’s a different process for coronavirus (COVID-19) nominations and gallantry awards.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re nominating them. Read the guidance on how to write a nomination.

You’ll also need:

your nominee’s name, age, address and contact details

details of relevant work or volunteering they’ve done

details of any awards or other recognition they’ve received

2 supporting letters to back up your nomination - these should be from people who know the nominee personally

You can include any evidence you have of recognition your nominee has received for their achievements, for example articles, photos or letters.

You can save your nomination and come back to it later.

Make a nomination

Make a nomination by email

Download and fill in the honours nomination form and email it to the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You can also ask the unit questions about the nomination process.

Nominate someone for coronavirus-related work

You can nominate someone who has made an exceptional contribution to the response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis in the UK.

Anyone can make a nomination and there is no deadline. Nominations will be considered by an independent honours committee.

How to make a nomination

What you need to include

You should try to include:

the nominee’s name

any contact details

their role

a summary of the impact the person has made

You can add additional documents, for example letters of support, as attachments to your email.

What happens next

You’ll get an acknowledgment. Nominations will be processed as quickly as possible.

Nominate someone who lives or works abroad

You can nominate someone for an honour if they live or work abroad and they’ve made achievements in either:

the UK and their achievement has a significant international element

another country

They’ll be given an ‘honorary award’ if they’re not:

British

a national of a country where the Queen is Head of State

There’s a different process for gallantry awards.

Download and fill in the nomination form and send it to the Royal, Ceremonial and Honours Unit, part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Recommend someone for a gallantry award

Civilian gallantry awards recognise the bravery of people who’ve put themselves in danger to save (or attempt to save) someone’s life. Recommendations are judged on:

degree of risk

how aware the nominee was of the danger

persistence

Types of gallantry awards

You can recommend someone for the:

George Cross (a first-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great heroism and courage in extreme danger)

George Medal (a second-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great bravery)

Queen’s Gallantry Medal (a third-level civilian medal for bravery, for inspiring acts of bravery)

Queen’s Commendation for Bravery/Bravery in the Air (a fourth-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts which involve risk to life)

How to recommend someone for a gallantry award

Email the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re recommending them. Include the person’s:

name

date of birth

address

Give as many details as possible about what happened. This will make your application more likely to be considered. Include:

location

date

any emergency or official services that were there

After you recommend someone for a gallantry award

All recommendations will be assessed by the George Cross Committee, which makes recommendations to the Queen, who awards the honour.

Types of honours and awards

You cannot nominate someone for a specific honour - that’s decided by the honours committee.

There are also awards for bravery, called gallantry awards.

Companion of Honour

This is awarded for having a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period of time.

Knight or Dame

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

This is awarded for having a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally in their chosen area.

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Awarded for an outstanding achievement or service to the community. This will have had a long-term, significant impact and stand out as an example to others.

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Royal Victorian Order (RVO)

An award given by the Queen - usually to people who have helped her personally, like members of the Royal household staff or British ambassadors.

The orders

The committee decides which order someone should be a member of. You do not have to specify this in your nomination.

Order | Who can be nominated

Order of the Bath | Senior civil servants and military officers

Order of St Michael and St George | Diplomats and people serving the UK abroad

Order of the British Empire | Anyone

Companion of Honour (award) | Anyone

Royal Victorian Order | People who have served the Queen or the Monarchy in a personal way

Most awards are in the Order of the British Empire.

Honours lists

The lists of who’s received honours are published at New Year and on the Queen’s official birthday in June.

2021 New Year honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 New Year honours.

2021 Queen’s Birthday honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 Queen’s Birthday honours.

Previous honours lists

Read previous honours lists and reports on the honours system.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Honorary Awards

You can read a list of Honorary Awards approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

Civilian gallantry awards

You can read the civilian gallantry list approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

enhancing Britain’s reputation

Nominate someone for an honour or award

Overview

The honours system recognises people who have:

made achievements in public life

committed themselves to serving and helping Britain

They’ll usually have made life better for other people or be outstanding at what they do.

They must still be actively involved in what you’re nominating them for. The only honours which can be awarded after someone’s death are gallantry awards.

Nominating someone for an honour

Anyone can nominate someone for an honour.

How you apply depends on whether you want to:

nominate someone in the UK

nominate someone for their work in responding to coronavirus (COVID-19)

nominate someone overseas

nominate someone for a gallantry award

After you nominate someone for an honour

You’ll get an acknowledgment - but you may not hear anything else for 12 to 18 months.

All nominees will be checked by various government departments to make sure they’re suitable for an honour. This may include checks by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

The honours committee reviews those nominations that are sent to it.

What people get honours for

People get honours for achievements like:

making a difference to their community or field of work

enhancing Britain’s reputation

long-term voluntary service

innovation and entrepreneurship

changing things, with an emphasis on achievement

improving life for people less able to help themselves

displaying moral courage

Honours are given to people involved in fields including:

community, voluntary and local services

arts and media

health

sport

education

science and technology

business and the economy

civil or political service

Group nominations

You can only nominate individuals for honours.

You can nominate a volunteer group for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Nominate someone who lives in the UK

You can nominate someone for an honour online.

There’s a different process for coronavirus (COVID-19) nominations and gallantry awards.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re nominating them. Read the guidance on how to write a nomination.

You’ll also need:

your nominee’s name, age, address and contact details

details of relevant work or volunteering they’ve done

details of any awards or other recognition they’ve received

2 supporting letters to back up your nomination - these should be from people who know the nominee personally

You can include any evidence you have of recognition your nominee has received for their achievements, for example articles, photos or letters.

You can save your nomination and come back to it later.

Make a nomination

Make a nomination by email

Download and fill in the honours nomination form and email it to the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You can also ask the unit questions about the nomination process.

Nominate someone for coronavirus-related work

You can nominate someone who has made an exceptional contribution to the response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis in the UK.

Anyone can make a nomination and there is no deadline. Nominations will be considered by an independent honours committee.

How to make a nomination

What you need to include

You should try to include:

the nominee’s name

any contact details

their role

a summary of the impact the person has made

You can add additional documents, for example letters of support, as attachments to your email.

What happens next

You’ll get an acknowledgment. Nominations will be processed as quickly as possible.

Nominate someone who lives or works abroad

You can nominate someone for an honour if they live or work abroad and they’ve made achievements in either:

the UK and their achievement has a significant international element

another country

They’ll be given an ‘honorary award’ if they’re not:

British

a national of a country where the Queen is Head of State

There’s a different process for gallantry awards.

Download and fill in the nomination form and send it to the Royal, Ceremonial and Honours Unit, part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Recommend someone for a gallantry award

Civilian gallantry awards recognise the bravery of people who’ve put themselves in danger to save (or attempt to save) someone’s life. Recommendations are judged on:

degree of risk

how aware the nominee was of the danger

persistence

Types of gallantry awards

You can recommend someone for the:

George Cross (a first-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great heroism and courage in extreme danger)

George Medal (a second-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great bravery)

Queen’s Gallantry Medal (a third-level civilian medal for bravery, for inspiring acts of bravery)

Queen’s Commendation for Bravery/Bravery in the Air (a fourth-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts which involve risk to life)

How to recommend someone for a gallantry award

Email the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re recommending them. Include the person’s:

name

date of birth

address

Give as many details as possible about what happened. This will make your application more likely to be considered. Include:

location

date

any emergency or official services that were there

After you recommend someone for a gallantry award

All recommendations will be assessed by the George Cross Committee, which makes recommendations to the Queen, who awards the honour.

Types of honours and awards

You cannot nominate someone for a specific honour - that’s decided by the honours committee.

There are also awards for bravery, called gallantry awards.

Companion of Honour

This is awarded for having a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period of time.

Knight or Dame

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

This is awarded for having a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally in their chosen area.

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Awarded for an outstanding achievement or service to the community. This will have had a long-term, significant impact and stand out as an example to others.

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Royal Victorian Order (RVO)

An award given by the Queen - usually to people who have helped her personally, like members of the Royal household staff or British ambassadors.

The orders

The committee decides which order someone should be a member of. You do not have to specify this in your nomination.

Order | Who can be nominated

Order of the Bath | Senior civil servants and military officers

Order of St Michael and St George | Diplomats and people serving the UK abroad

Order of the British Empire | Anyone

Companion of Honour (award) | Anyone

Royal Victorian Order | People who have served the Queen or the Monarchy in a personal way

Most awards are in the Order of the British Empire.

Honours lists

The lists of who’s received honours are published at New Year and on the Queen’s official birthday in June.

2021 New Year honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 New Year honours.

2021 Queen’s Birthday honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 Queen’s Birthday honours.

Previous honours lists

Read previous honours lists and reports on the honours system.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Honorary Awards

You can read a list of Honorary Awards approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

Civilian gallantry awards

You can read the civilian gallantry list approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

long-term voluntary service

Nominate someone for an honour or award

Overview

The honours system recognises people who have:

made achievements in public life

committed themselves to serving and helping Britain

They’ll usually have made life better for other people or be outstanding at what they do.

They must still be actively involved in what you’re nominating them for. The only honours which can be awarded after someone’s death are gallantry awards.

Nominating someone for an honour

Anyone can nominate someone for an honour.

How you apply depends on whether you want to:

nominate someone in the UK

nominate someone for their work in responding to coronavirus (COVID-19)

nominate someone overseas

nominate someone for a gallantry award

After you nominate someone for an honour

You’ll get an acknowledgment - but you may not hear anything else for 12 to 18 months.

All nominees will be checked by various government departments to make sure they’re suitable for an honour. This may include checks by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

The honours committee reviews those nominations that are sent to it.

What people get honours for

People get honours for achievements like:

making a difference to their community or field of work

enhancing Britain’s reputation

long-term voluntary service

innovation and entrepreneurship

changing things, with an emphasis on achievement

improving life for people less able to help themselves

displaying moral courage

Honours are given to people involved in fields including:

community, voluntary and local services

arts and media

health

sport

education

science and technology

business and the economy

civil or political service

Group nominations

You can only nominate individuals for honours.

You can nominate a volunteer group for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Nominate someone who lives in the UK

You can nominate someone for an honour online.

There’s a different process for coronavirus (COVID-19) nominations and gallantry awards.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re nominating them. Read the guidance on how to write a nomination.

You’ll also need:

your nominee’s name, age, address and contact details

details of relevant work or volunteering they’ve done

details of any awards or other recognition they’ve received

2 supporting letters to back up your nomination - these should be from people who know the nominee personally

You can include any evidence you have of recognition your nominee has received for their achievements, for example articles, photos or letters.

You can save your nomination and come back to it later.

Make a nomination

Make a nomination by email

Download and fill in the honours nomination form and email it to the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You can also ask the unit questions about the nomination process.

Nominate someone for coronavirus-related work

You can nominate someone who has made an exceptional contribution to the response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis in the UK.

Anyone can make a nomination and there is no deadline. Nominations will be considered by an independent honours committee.

How to make a nomination

What you need to include

You should try to include:

the nominee’s name

any contact details

their role

a summary of the impact the person has made

You can add additional documents, for example letters of support, as attachments to your email.

What happens next

You’ll get an acknowledgment. Nominations will be processed as quickly as possible.

Nominate someone who lives or works abroad

You can nominate someone for an honour if they live or work abroad and they’ve made achievements in either:

the UK and their achievement has a significant international element

another country

They’ll be given an ‘honorary award’ if they’re not:

British

a national of a country where the Queen is Head of State

There’s a different process for gallantry awards.

Download and fill in the nomination form and send it to the Royal, Ceremonial and Honours Unit, part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Recommend someone for a gallantry award

Civilian gallantry awards recognise the bravery of people who’ve put themselves in danger to save (or attempt to save) someone’s life. Recommendations are judged on:

degree of risk

how aware the nominee was of the danger

persistence

Types of gallantry awards

You can recommend someone for the:

George Cross (a first-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great heroism and courage in extreme danger)

George Medal (a second-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great bravery)

Queen’s Gallantry Medal (a third-level civilian medal for bravery, for inspiring acts of bravery)

Queen’s Commendation for Bravery/Bravery in the Air (a fourth-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts which involve risk to life)

How to recommend someone for a gallantry award

Email the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re recommending them. Include the person’s:

name

date of birth

address

Give as many details as possible about what happened. This will make your application more likely to be considered. Include:

location

date

any emergency or official services that were there

After you recommend someone for a gallantry award

All recommendations will be assessed by the George Cross Committee, which makes recommendations to the Queen, who awards the honour.

Types of honours and awards

You cannot nominate someone for a specific honour - that’s decided by the honours committee.

There are also awards for bravery, called gallantry awards.

Companion of Honour

This is awarded for having a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period of time.

Knight or Dame

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

This is awarded for having a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally in their chosen area.

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Awarded for an outstanding achievement or service to the community. This will have had a long-term, significant impact and stand out as an example to others.

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Royal Victorian Order (RVO)

An award given by the Queen - usually to people who have helped her personally, like members of the Royal household staff or British ambassadors.

The orders

The committee decides which order someone should be a member of. You do not have to specify this in your nomination.

Order | Who can be nominated

Order of the Bath | Senior civil servants and military officers

Order of St Michael and St George | Diplomats and people serving the UK abroad

Order of the British Empire | Anyone

Companion of Honour (award) | Anyone

Royal Victorian Order | People who have served the Queen or the Monarchy in a personal way

Most awards are in the Order of the British Empire.

Honours lists

The lists of who’s received honours are published at New Year and on the Queen’s official birthday in June.

2021 New Year honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 New Year honours.

2021 Queen’s Birthday honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 Queen’s Birthday honours.

Previous honours lists

Read previous honours lists and reports on the honours system.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Honorary Awards

You can read a list of Honorary Awards approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

Civilian gallantry awards

You can read the civilian gallantry list approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

innovation and entrepreneurship

Nominate someone for an honour or award

Overview

The honours system recognises people who have:

made achievements in public life

committed themselves to serving and helping Britain

They’ll usually have made life better for other people or be outstanding at what they do.

They must still be actively involved in what you’re nominating them for. The only honours which can be awarded after someone’s death are gallantry awards.

Nominating someone for an honour

Anyone can nominate someone for an honour.

How you apply depends on whether you want to:

nominate someone in the UK

nominate someone for their work in responding to coronavirus (COVID-19)

nominate someone overseas

nominate someone for a gallantry award

After you nominate someone for an honour

You’ll get an acknowledgment - but you may not hear anything else for 12 to 18 months.

All nominees will be checked by various government departments to make sure they’re suitable for an honour. This may include checks by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

The honours committee reviews those nominations that are sent to it.

What people get honours for

People get honours for achievements like:

making a difference to their community or field of work

enhancing Britain’s reputation

long-term voluntary service

innovation and entrepreneurship

changing things, with an emphasis on achievement

improving life for people less able to help themselves

displaying moral courage

Honours are given to people involved in fields including:

community, voluntary and local services

arts and media

health

sport

education

science and technology

business and the economy

civil or political service

Group nominations

You can only nominate individuals for honours.

You can nominate a volunteer group for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Nominate someone who lives in the UK

You can nominate someone for an honour online.

There’s a different process for coronavirus (COVID-19) nominations and gallantry awards.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re nominating them. Read the guidance on how to write a nomination.

You’ll also need:

your nominee’s name, age, address and contact details

details of relevant work or volunteering they’ve done

details of any awards or other recognition they’ve received

2 supporting letters to back up your nomination - these should be from people who know the nominee personally

You can include any evidence you have of recognition your nominee has received for their achievements, for example articles, photos or letters.

You can save your nomination and come back to it later.

Make a nomination

Make a nomination by email

Download and fill in the honours nomination form and email it to the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You can also ask the unit questions about the nomination process.

Nominate someone for coronavirus-related work

You can nominate someone who has made an exceptional contribution to the response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis in the UK.

Anyone can make a nomination and there is no deadline. Nominations will be considered by an independent honours committee.

How to make a nomination

What you need to include

You should try to include:

the nominee’s name

any contact details

their role

a summary of the impact the person has made

You can add additional documents, for example letters of support, as attachments to your email.

What happens next

You’ll get an acknowledgment. Nominations will be processed as quickly as possible.

Nominate someone who lives or works abroad

You can nominate someone for an honour if they live or work abroad and they’ve made achievements in either:

the UK and their achievement has a significant international element

another country

They’ll be given an ‘honorary award’ if they’re not:

British

a national of a country where the Queen is Head of State

There’s a different process for gallantry awards.

Download and fill in the nomination form and send it to the Royal, Ceremonial and Honours Unit, part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Recommend someone for a gallantry award

Civilian gallantry awards recognise the bravery of people who’ve put themselves in danger to save (or attempt to save) someone’s life. Recommendations are judged on:

degree of risk

how aware the nominee was of the danger

persistence

Types of gallantry awards

You can recommend someone for the:

George Cross (a first-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great heroism and courage in extreme danger)

George Medal (a second-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great bravery)

Queen’s Gallantry Medal (a third-level civilian medal for bravery, for inspiring acts of bravery)

Queen’s Commendation for Bravery/Bravery in the Air (a fourth-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts which involve risk to life)

How to recommend someone for a gallantry award

Email the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re recommending them. Include the person’s:

name

date of birth

address

Give as many details as possible about what happened. This will make your application more likely to be considered. Include:

location

date

any emergency or official services that were there

After you recommend someone for a gallantry award

All recommendations will be assessed by the George Cross Committee, which makes recommendations to the Queen, who awards the honour.

Types of honours and awards

You cannot nominate someone for a specific honour - that’s decided by the honours committee.

There are also awards for bravery, called gallantry awards.

Companion of Honour

This is awarded for having a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period of time.

Knight or Dame

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

This is awarded for having a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally in their chosen area.

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Awarded for an outstanding achievement or service to the community. This will have had a long-term, significant impact and stand out as an example to others.

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Royal Victorian Order (RVO)

An award given by the Queen - usually to people who have helped her personally, like members of the Royal household staff or British ambassadors.

The orders

The committee decides which order someone should be a member of. You do not have to specify this in your nomination.

Order | Who can be nominated

Order of the Bath | Senior civil servants and military officers

Order of St Michael and St George | Diplomats and people serving the UK abroad

Order of the British Empire | Anyone

Companion of Honour (award) | Anyone

Royal Victorian Order | People who have served the Queen or the Monarchy in a personal way

Most awards are in the Order of the British Empire.

Honours lists

The lists of who’s received honours are published at New Year and on the Queen’s official birthday in June.

2021 New Year honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 New Year honours.

2021 Queen’s Birthday honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 Queen’s Birthday honours.

Previous honours lists

Read previous honours lists and reports on the honours system.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Honorary Awards

You can read a list of Honorary Awards approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

Civilian gallantry awards

You can read the civilian gallantry list approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

changing things, with an emphasis on achievement

Nominate someone for an honour or award

Overview

The honours system recognises people who have:

made achievements in public life

committed themselves to serving and helping Britain

They’ll usually have made life better for other people or be outstanding at what they do.

They must still be actively involved in what you’re nominating them for. The only honours which can be awarded after someone’s death are gallantry awards.

Nominating someone for an honour

Anyone can nominate someone for an honour.

How you apply depends on whether you want to:

nominate someone in the UK

nominate someone for their work in responding to coronavirus (COVID-19)

nominate someone overseas

nominate someone for a gallantry award

After you nominate someone for an honour

You’ll get an acknowledgment - but you may not hear anything else for 12 to 18 months.

All nominees will be checked by various government departments to make sure they’re suitable for an honour. This may include checks by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

The honours committee reviews those nominations that are sent to it.

What people get honours for

People get honours for achievements like:

making a difference to their community or field of work

enhancing Britain’s reputation

long-term voluntary service

innovation and entrepreneurship

improving life for people less able to help themselves

displaying moral courage

Honours are given to people involved in fields including:

community, voluntary and local services

arts and media

health

sport

education

science and technology

business and the economy

civil or political service

Group nominations

You can only nominate individuals for honours.

You can nominate a volunteer group for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Nominate someone who lives in the UK

You can nominate someone for an honour online.

There’s a different process for coronavirus (COVID-19) nominations and gallantry awards.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re nominating them. Read the guidance on how to write a nomination.

You’ll also need:

your nominee’s name, age, address and contact details

details of relevant work or volunteering they’ve done

details of any awards or other recognition they’ve received

2 supporting letters to back up your nomination - these should be from people who know the nominee personally

You can include any evidence you have of recognition your nominee has received for their achievements, for example articles, photos or letters.

You can save your nomination and come back to it later.

Make a nomination

Make a nomination by email

Download and fill in the honours nomination form and email it to the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You can also ask the unit questions about the nomination process.

Nominate someone for coronavirus-related work

You can nominate someone who has made an exceptional contribution to the response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis in the UK.

Anyone can make a nomination and there is no deadline. Nominations will be considered by an independent honours committee.

How to make a nomination

What you need to include

You should try to include:

the nominee’s name

any contact details

their role

a summary of the impact the person has made

You can add additional documents, for example letters of support, as attachments to your email.

What happens next

You’ll get an acknowledgment. Nominations will be processed as quickly as possible.

Nominate someone who lives or works abroad

You can nominate someone for an honour if they live or work abroad and they’ve made achievements in either:

the UK and their achievement has a significant international element

another country

They’ll be given an ‘honorary award’ if they’re not:

British

a national of a country where the Queen is Head of State

There’s a different process for gallantry awards.

Download and fill in the nomination form and send it to the Royal, Ceremonial and Honours Unit, part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Recommend someone for a gallantry award

Civilian gallantry awards recognise the bravery of people who’ve put themselves in danger to save (or attempt to save) someone’s life. Recommendations are judged on:

degree of risk

how aware the nominee was of the danger

persistence

Types of gallantry awards

You can recommend someone for the:

George Cross (a first-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great heroism and courage in extreme danger)

George Medal (a second-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great bravery)

Queen’s Gallantry Medal (a third-level civilian medal for bravery, for inspiring acts of bravery)

Queen’s Commendation for Bravery/Bravery in the Air (a fourth-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts which involve risk to life)

How to recommend someone for a gallantry award

Email the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re recommending them. Include the person’s:

name

date of birth

address

Give as many details as possible about what happened. This will make your application more likely to be considered. Include:

location

date

any emergency or official services that were there

After you recommend someone for a gallantry award

All recommendations will be assessed by the George Cross Committee, which makes recommendations to the Queen, who awards the honour.

Types of honours and awards

You cannot nominate someone for a specific honour - that’s decided by the honours committee.

There are also awards for bravery, called gallantry awards.

Companion of Honour

This is awarded for having a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period of time.

Knight or Dame

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

This is awarded for having a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally in their chosen area.

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Awarded for an outstanding achievement or service to the community. This will have had a long-term, significant impact and stand out as an example to others.

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Royal Victorian Order (RVO)

An award given by the Queen - usually to people who have helped her personally, like members of the Royal household staff or British ambassadors.

The orders

The committee decides which order someone should be a member of. You do not have to specify this in your nomination.

Order | Who can be nominated

Order of the Bath | Senior civil servants and military officers

Order of St Michael and St George | Diplomats and people serving the UK abroad

Order of the British Empire | Anyone

Companion of Honour (award) | Anyone

Royal Victorian Order | People who have served the Queen or the Monarchy in a personal way

Most awards are in the Order of the British Empire.

Honours lists

The lists of who’s received honours are published at New Year and on the Queen’s official birthday in June.

2021 New Year honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 New Year honours.

2021 Queen’s Birthday honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 Queen’s Birthday honours.

Previous honours lists

Read previous honours lists and reports on the honours system.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Honorary Awards

You can read a list of Honorary Awards approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

Civilian gallantry awards

You can read the civilian gallantry list approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

improving life for people less able to help themselves

Nominate someone for an honour or award

Overview

The honours system recognises people who have:

made achievements in public life

committed themselves to serving and helping Britain

They’ll usually have made life better for other people or be outstanding at what they do.

They must still be actively involved in what you’re nominating them for. The only honours which can be awarded after someone’s death are gallantry awards.

Nominating someone for an honour

Anyone can nominate someone for an honour.

How you apply depends on whether you want to:

nominate someone in the UK

nominate someone for their work in responding to coronavirus (COVID-19)

nominate someone overseas

nominate someone for a gallantry award

After you nominate someone for an honour

You’ll get an acknowledgment - but you may not hear anything else for 12 to 18 months.

All nominees will be checked by various government departments to make sure they’re suitable for an honour. This may include checks by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

The honours committee reviews those nominations that are sent to it.

What people get honours for

People get honours for achievements like:

making a difference to their community or field of work

enhancing Britain’s reputation

long-term voluntary service

innovation and entrepreneurship

changing things, with an emphasis on achievement

displaying moral courage

Honours are given to people involved in fields including:

community, voluntary and local services

arts and media

health

sport

education

science and technology

business and the economy

civil or political service

Group nominations

You can only nominate individuals for honours.

You can nominate a volunteer group for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Nominate someone who lives in the UK

You can nominate someone for an honour online.

There’s a different process for coronavirus (COVID-19) nominations and gallantry awards.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re nominating them. Read the guidance on how to write a nomination.

You’ll also need:

your nominee’s name, age, address and contact details

details of relevant work or volunteering they’ve done

details of any awards or other recognition they’ve received

2 supporting letters to back up your nomination - these should be from people who know the nominee personally

You can include any evidence you have of recognition your nominee has received for their achievements, for example articles, photos or letters.

You can save your nomination and come back to it later.

Make a nomination

Make a nomination by email

Download and fill in the honours nomination form and email it to the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You can also ask the unit questions about the nomination process.

Nominate someone for coronavirus-related work

You can nominate someone who has made an exceptional contribution to the response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis in the UK.

Anyone can make a nomination and there is no deadline. Nominations will be considered by an independent honours committee.

How to make a nomination

What you need to include

You should try to include:

the nominee’s name

any contact details

their role

a summary of the impact the person has made

You can add additional documents, for example letters of support, as attachments to your email.

What happens next

You’ll get an acknowledgment. Nominations will be processed as quickly as possible.

Nominate someone who lives or works abroad

You can nominate someone for an honour if they live or work abroad and they’ve made achievements in either:

the UK and their achievement has a significant international element

another country

They’ll be given an ‘honorary award’ if they’re not:

British

a national of a country where the Queen is Head of State

There’s a different process for gallantry awards.

Download and fill in the nomination form and send it to the Royal, Ceremonial and Honours Unit, part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Recommend someone for a gallantry award

Civilian gallantry awards recognise the bravery of people who’ve put themselves in danger to save (or attempt to save) someone’s life. Recommendations are judged on:

degree of risk

how aware the nominee was of the danger

persistence

Types of gallantry awards

You can recommend someone for the:

George Cross (a first-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great heroism and courage in extreme danger)

George Medal (a second-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great bravery)

Queen’s Gallantry Medal (a third-level civilian medal for bravery, for inspiring acts of bravery)

Queen’s Commendation for Bravery/Bravery in the Air (a fourth-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts which involve risk to life)

How to recommend someone for a gallantry award

Email the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re recommending them. Include the person’s:

name

date of birth

address

Give as many details as possible about what happened. This will make your application more likely to be considered. Include:

location

date

any emergency or official services that were there

After you recommend someone for a gallantry award

All recommendations will be assessed by the George Cross Committee, which makes recommendations to the Queen, who awards the honour.

Types of honours and awards

You cannot nominate someone for a specific honour - that’s decided by the honours committee.

There are also awards for bravery, called gallantry awards.

Companion of Honour

This is awarded for having a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period of time.

Knight or Dame

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

This is awarded for having a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally in their chosen area.

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Awarded for an outstanding achievement or service to the community. This will have had a long-term, significant impact and stand out as an example to others.

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Royal Victorian Order (RVO)

An award given by the Queen - usually to people who have helped her personally, like members of the Royal household staff or British ambassadors.

The orders

The committee decides which order someone should be a member of. You do not have to specify this in your nomination.

Order | Who can be nominated

Order of the Bath | Senior civil servants and military officers

Order of St Michael and St George | Diplomats and people serving the UK abroad

Order of the British Empire | Anyone

Companion of Honour (award) | Anyone

Royal Victorian Order | People who have served the Queen or the Monarchy in a personal way

Most awards are in the Order of the British Empire.

Honours lists

The lists of who’s received honours are published at New Year and on the Queen’s official birthday in June.

2021 New Year honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 New Year honours.

2021 Queen’s Birthday honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 Queen’s Birthday honours.

Previous honours lists

Read previous honours lists and reports on the honours system.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Honorary Awards

You can read a list of Honorary Awards approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

Civilian gallantry awards

You can read the civilian gallantry list approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

displaying moral courage

Nominate someone for an honour or award

Overview

The honours system recognises people who have:

made achievements in public life

committed themselves to serving and helping Britain

They’ll usually have made life better for other people or be outstanding at what they do.

They must still be actively involved in what you’re nominating them for. The only honours which can be awarded after someone’s death are gallantry awards.

Nominating someone for an honour

Anyone can nominate someone for an honour.

How you apply depends on whether you want to:

nominate someone in the UK

nominate someone for their work in responding to coronavirus (COVID-19)

nominate someone overseas

nominate someone for a gallantry award

After you nominate someone for an honour

You’ll get an acknowledgment - but you may not hear anything else for 12 to 18 months.

All nominees will be checked by various government departments to make sure they’re suitable for an honour. This may include checks by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

The honours committee reviews those nominations that are sent to it.

What people get honours for

People get honours for achievements like:

making a difference to their community or field of work

enhancing Britain’s reputation

long-term voluntary service

innovation and entrepreneurship

changing things, with an emphasis on achievement

improving life for people less able to help themselves

displaying moral courage

Honours are given to people involved in fields including:

community, voluntary and local services

arts and media

health

sport

education

science and technology

business and the economy

civil or political service

Group nominations

You can only nominate individuals for honours.

You can nominate a volunteer group for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Nominate someone who lives in the UK

You can nominate someone for an honour online.

There’s a different process for coronavirus (COVID-19) nominations and gallantry awards.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re nominating them. Read the guidance on how to write a nomination.

You’ll also need:

your nominee’s name, age, address and contact details

details of relevant work or volunteering they’ve done

details of any awards or other recognition they’ve received

2 supporting letters to back up your nomination - these should be from people who know the nominee personally

You can include any evidence you have of recognition your nominee has received for their achievements, for example articles, photos or letters.

You can save your nomination and come back to it later.

Make a nomination

Make a nomination by email

Download and fill in the honours nomination form and email it to the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You can also ask the unit questions about the nomination process.

Nominate someone for coronavirus-related work

You can nominate someone who has made an exceptional contribution to the response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis in the UK.

Anyone can make a nomination and there is no deadline. Nominations will be considered by an independent honours committee.

How to make a nomination

What you need to include

You should try to include:

the nominee’s name

any contact details

their role

a summary of the impact the person has made

You can add additional documents, for example letters of support, as attachments to your email.

What happens next

You’ll get an acknowledgment. Nominations will be processed as quickly as possible.

Nominate someone who lives or works abroad

You can nominate someone for an honour if they live or work abroad and they’ve made achievements in either:

the UK and their achievement has a significant international element

another country

They’ll be given an ‘honorary award’ if they’re not:

British

a national of a country where the Queen is Head of State

There’s a different process for gallantry awards.

Download and fill in the nomination form and send it to the Royal, Ceremonial and Honours Unit, part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Recommend someone for a gallantry award

Civilian gallantry awards recognise the bravery of people who’ve put themselves in danger to save (or attempt to save) someone’s life. Recommendations are judged on:

degree of risk

how aware the nominee was of the danger

persistence

Types of gallantry awards

You can recommend someone for the:

George Cross (a first-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great heroism and courage in extreme danger)

George Medal (a second-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts of great bravery)

Queen’s Gallantry Medal (a third-level civilian medal for bravery, for inspiring acts of bravery)

Queen’s Commendation for Bravery/Bravery in the Air (a fourth-level civilian medal for bravery, for acts which involve risk to life)

How to recommend someone for a gallantry award

Email the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.

You’ll need to write a detailed description explaining why you’re recommending them. Include the person’s:

name

date of birth

address

Give as many details as possible about what happened. This will make your application more likely to be considered. Include:

location

date

any emergency or official services that were there

After you recommend someone for a gallantry award

All recommendations will be assessed by the George Cross Committee, which makes recommendations to the Queen, who awards the honour.

Types of honours and awards

You cannot nominate someone for a specific honour - that’s decided by the honours committee.

There are also awards for bravery, called gallantry awards.

Companion of Honour

This is awarded for having a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period of time.

Knight or Dame

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

This is awarded for having a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally in their chosen area.

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Awarded for an outstanding achievement or service to the community. This will have had a long-term, significant impact and stand out as an example to others.

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Royal Victorian Order (RVO)

An award given by the Queen - usually to people who have helped her personally, like members of the Royal household staff or British ambassadors.

The orders

The committee decides which order someone should be a member of. You do not have to specify this in your nomination.

Order | Who can be nominated

Order of the Bath | Senior civil servants and military officers

Order of St Michael and St George | Diplomats and people serving the UK abroad

Order of the British Empire | Anyone

Companion of Honour (award) | Anyone

Royal Victorian Order | People who have served the Queen or the Monarchy in a personal way

Most awards are in the Order of the British Empire.

Honours lists

The lists of who’s received honours are published at New Year and on the Queen’s official birthday in June.

2021 New Year honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 New Year honours.

2021 Queen’s Birthday honours

Read a full listing of the 2021 Queen’s Birthday honours.

Previous honours lists

Read previous honours lists and reports on the honours system.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Honorary Awards

You can read a list of Honorary Awards approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.

Civilian gallantry awards

You can read the civilian gallantry list approved by Her Majesty the Queen in 2021.