Historic England has now launched the national blue plaque scheme, which is open for public nominations.

Members of the public are invited to nominate people who they think deserve to be recognised with a national blue plaque.

The scheme is open for nominations from across England (excluding Greater London, as English Heritage run the blue plaque scheme in the capital).

Who to nominate

Historic England are looking for nominations for people who have made an exceptional impact in their field, community or wider society. They do not have to be famous or currently well-known, but they do need to fit with the overall aims and criteria for the scheme.

The key criteria include:

At least 20 years must have passed since the candidate’s death.

They must have made a significant contribution to human welfare or happiness; and/or to have made an exceptional impact in their field, community or on society at large.

At least 1 building in England associated with the figure must survive in a form that the commemorated person would have recognised, and it must be visible from the public highway.

Historic England are seeking nominations of people from all walks of life, throughout history. Your nomination could help raise the profile of individuals who have achieved great things and deserve to be better known.

How to nominate

To submit your nomination, please read the full eligibility criteria and guidance notes and then complete the online form.

It is important that you read the eligibility criteria and guidance notes before submitting your application. This will help you prepare the information you need and could also help your nomination progress through the selection process by providing relevant details.

The 2024 deadline for nominations is 23:59 on Friday 19 July. Nominations after this date will not be accepted.

How nominations are selected

Your nomination must first meet the eligibility criteria. If it does, it will move forward into the research stages, where historians and Historic England staff will assess it.

The final stage is that it will be presented to the national blue plaques panel, which will decide which nominations to pursue.

Historic England are expecting to approve 6 – 8 plaques a year across the country.

Grants are available for organisations working with underrepresented communities and partnering with researchers or historians to uncover the stories of people who have played a significant role in history in preparation for submitting a nomination next year.

Follow this link for more information and to make a nomination.

As well as the national scheme the City Council and the Coventry Society also erect blue plaques.