London faces a significant shortage of burial space, with a City Hall audit finding that 17 local authorities will have no capacity left by 2040. Three boroughs — Camden, Hackney and Tower Hamlets — already have no available burial space at all.

An ageing population is compounding the problem. Office for National Statistics data indicates that people aged 65 and over will make up 40.9 percent of London's population by 2040, pushing up demand for burial provision.

The draft London Plan suggests boroughs consider using lower-quality Green Belt land, described as "grey belt", and adopt deeper graves that allow more than one burial in a single plot.

London Assembly member Hina Bokhari said families risked being unable to bury relatives close to home. "There is a real crisis point now that if we don't face this issue" promptly, she said, "there will be families... finding out that they can't actually bury their loved one where they live."

Nine of the 25 boroughs that responded to the audit already rely on burial provision outside their own boundaries because of limited cemetery space.

Bokhari called for the Mayor to "use his convening powers" to bring cemeteries, faith communities and local councils together to work up solutions.

A proposed House of Lords bill would require councils to plan ahead and track burial capacity, and to guarantee burial ground space in local development plans. At present local authorities have the power to provide burial space, but no legal obligation to do so.

The Mayor's office said the draft London Plan requires boroughs to plan proactively while recognising cultural and faith needs.