The role of the Coroner

Coroners are officers appointed by the Council to investigate any sudden or unexplained death. They are independent of both Local and Central Government and are required to act in accordance with laid down rules and procedures. Most Coroners have a team of people supporting them in their work.

When is a death reported to the Coroner?

when the deceased has not been treated by a doctor during their illness;
when the doctor attending the deceased did not see them within 14 days before they died or after death;
when the death occurred during an operation or before recovery from the effect of an anaesthetic;
when the death was sudden and unexplained or by suspicious circumstances;
when the death may be due to an industrial injury or disease, or to accident, violence, neglect or abortion, or to any kind of poisoning; or
when the death occurred in police custody or in prison.

How is a death reported to the Coroner?

A death occurring in any of the above circumstances is usually reported to the Coroner by the police, or by a doctor called to the death if it was sudden or accidental. It may also be reported by a doctor who was treating the deceased if the death was unexpected. The Registrar may also report a death to the Coroner.

Once any death has been reported to the Coroner the Registrar cannot register the death until the Coroner's enquiries are complete. These enquiries can take some time so you will need to contact the Coroner before making the funeral arrangements.

What will the Coroner do?

The Coroner may be able to establish that the death was due to natural causes and that there is a doctor who is able to issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. If this is the case then you will need to attend a Register Office to register the death.

If the Coroner is unable to do so then he will arrange for the deceased to be taken to the local hospital where, as required by law, a post-mortem examination will be performed. (You do not have to use the Funeral Director who acts for the Coroner to carry out the funeral arrangements) This examination often shows that the death was due to natural causes and in such cases no inquest is required. The Coroner will inform you when he issues a document to allow you to attend a Register Office to register the death.

If the Coroner establishes the death was not due to natural causes then he is obliged to hold an inquest.

What happens at an inquest?

The Coroner holds a medical/legal enquiry into the death of the deceased, but this is not a trial. The purpose of an inquest is to establish the identity of the deceased, when, where and how the death occurred and to establish the facts required by the Registrar. In some cases the Coroner will then adjourn the inquest and issue a form to allow the funeral to take place.

An inquest adjourned will be re-opened at a later date to determine the circumstances surrounding the death. This may involve witnesses being called, who are legally obliged to attend and may be penalised if they fail to do so.

How is the death registered after an inquest?

Once an inquest has been held the Coroner will send a report to the Registrar in the district where the death occurred The Registrar will then register the death without anyone having to attend to do so.

What documents are then issued, and who to?

The Coroner will inform the Registrar of the name and the address of the person who should be notified that the death has been registered. The Registrar will send that person a form for Social Security purposes. This should be read and completed before returning to the local Department for Work and Pensions Office as soon as possible.

That person may then need to purchase some death certificates. Each certificate is a certified copy of the entry in the Death Register and costs £3.50 whilst in a current register, or £7.00 once the register has been completed. Certificates may be required for Bank and savings Accounts, Insurance or Pension schemes and Car Registration.

Where there is a delay between the death and the holding of an inquest it is possible for the Coroner to issue interim death certificates if requested. Contact the Coroner responsible for the inquest.