Recognising exceptional achievement or service
Honours and Peerages should not be confused
- Honours are awarded twice yearly in the New Year and Birthday lists to recognise an individual’s exceptional achievements. Anyone can nominate or be nominated for an Honour. For more information on the Honours Process please see the Honours Process pages.
- Peerages are not honours. Since May 2000 Peers nominated by political parties have been vetted by the House of Lords Appointments Commission for their propriety. The House of Lords Appointments Commission also recommends people for non-party peerages. For more information on the process please see the Lords Appointments website.
Removal of Honours
The Sovereign may, on the advice of Ministers, cancel an award if the holder is considered unworthy to retain it. The object of forfeiture is to preserve the integrity of the Honours System. No person found guilty of a serious offence should be recommended for an honour; it is generally felt that a person who has been honoured and subsequently commits a serious offence should not continue to hold a symbol of high regard. Each case is considered on its merits by the Forfeiture Committee but if it came to light that an honours recipient had received a criminal conviction and a prison sentence for a serious offence, the forfeiture of his or her award would be almost inevitable.
The members of the Forfeiture Committee are: the Cabinet Secretary, Treasury Solicitor, Permanent Secretary to the Home Office and Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Executive. The Committee’s recommendation for forfeiture is submitted through the Prime Minister to The Sovereign. If The Sovereign grants approval a notice of forfeiture is placed in the London Gazette.
Removal of Peerages
There is currently no automatic process to remove a life peerage. This would need an Act of Parliament.
