Call to allow reuse of graves as burial plots run low in England and Wales

Local authorities say they are short of space due to Victorian laws that are also causing rise in funeral costs

Cemeteries are running out of space to bury the dead, local authorities have warned, prompting calls for an overhaul of archaic legislation to prevent deepening funeral poverty for families.

The disposal of human remains is governed by a complex set of legislation in England and Wales dating to the Victorian era, which prevents graves being reused.