• Home
• Council
• Online Services
• Living
• Learning
• Working
• Visiting

• Introduction
• Councillors
• Meetings
• Documents
• About the Council
• Town/Parish Councils
• Contact Info

In this Section

A-Z Council Services

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• X
• Y
• Z
• ALL

Coroners have a duty to find out the medical cause of death, if it is known, and to enquire about the cause of it if it was due to violence or was otherwise unnatural.

Deaths are usually reported to the Coroner by the Police, GPs, Hospital Doctors or Registrars, although any person who is suspicious about the cause of another person’s death may also do so. The Coroner may decide that death was quite natural and that there is a doctor who can sign a form saying so. In these circumstances, the family will need to attend a Registry Office in order to formally 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, after identification has been finalized, a Post Mortem examination is arranged. If this reveals that death was due to natural causes, then no Inquest is required. In such a case, the Coroner will inform the family and he will issue a document to enable then to attend at a Registry Office to register the death.

Deaths to and from Abroad

Regardless as to where a person has died, as soon as a body comes into the jurisdiction of the Coroner enquires have to be made as to the cause of death. If the death is well documented, with a medical certificate showing a natural cause of death, then the Coroner will allow the body to go to funeral. However, if the cause of death is unnatural e.g. due to a road traffic accident, then an Inquest will have to be opened and enquiries made in the country of origin. Post Mortems are sometimes held if the documentation is not clear. The body is then released in the normal manner.

To take a body abroad, application needs to be made by the Undertakers concerned so that the Coroner can make enquiries as to whether there is any reason why this cannot happen. An Out of Country form will then be issued usually within 4 working days.