The Coroner

The coroner gets involved in cases where the cause of death is sudden, unexplained, or uncertain. Their role is to investigate and determine the cause of death, ensuring there are no suspicious circumstances. This process ensures that all deaths are properly recorded and any potential legal issues are addressed. The coroner’s involvement helps provide closure for families and maintains the integrity of public health records.

• The Coroner’s involvement may be for technical reasons and it will be discussed with, and may be referred back to, the GP, in which case normal registration procedures will apply.

• The Coroner is likely to perform a post-mortem to establish the cause of death, before allowing the release of the body for the funeral.
• With a verdict of natural causes and circumstances, the Coroner will issue Form 100 (the ‘pink’) to the Registrar to enable you to register the death.
• If the death was violent or unnatural, occurred in prison, was due to an industrial disease, or where there is any doubt, the Coroner will order an investigation to determine whether an inquest is required.
• If it is, it will be opened and immediately adjourned. It will reconvene later and will determine the nature and circumstances of the death. If an inquest is not required, normal registration procedures will apply.
• Because the inquest will delay registration, the Coroner will issue an interim Certificate of the Fact of Death to enable probate. This will also allow you to notify the death to the Department of Work and Pensions.
• After the inquest, the Coroner will register the death for you. You may request certified copies of the entry of death from the Registrar a little while later.

The Coroner will issue a Form 6 to the funeral director, instead of the “green” Certificate for Burial or Cremation that would otherwise have been issued by the Registrar.

The Coroner will issue a ‘Coroner’s Burial Order’ directly to the funeral director.

The length of a coroner investigation can vary depending on the complexity of the case. Typically, it can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks. In some cases, if further investigations or post-mortem examinations are required, it might extend to a few months. The coroner aims to complete the investigation as promptly as possible while ensuring a thorough and accurate determination of the cause of death. Families are usually kept informed throughout the process.