One of the primary drivers for the Act was the public controversy relating to the refusal of the Callaghan government to accept an offer of Mentmore Towers and its contents in lieu of inheritance tax.

Section 30 of the act made provision for the designation and funding of the Armed Forces Museums.

This was felt by the ruling Conservative government to be lacking in public respect and to be excessively expensive.

The National Heritage Act 1997 (c. 14) amended the 1980 act by extending the scope of the National Heritage Memorial Fund to include things of any kind which are of scenic, historic, archaeological, aesthetic, architectural, engineering, artistic or scientific interest, including animals and plants which are of zoological or botanical interest.It also modified the 1983 act, inserting section 31A to make specific provision for preservation of the Royal Naval College site.

The 2002 Act extended the powers of the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission to encompass underwater archaeology within the territorial waters of the United Kingdom.