Accredited official statistics

Coroners statistics 2024: England and Wales

Published 8 May 2025

Applies to England and Wales

1. Main Points

Decrease in the number of deaths reported to coroners in 2024	174,900 deaths were reported to coroners in 2024, the lowest level since the start of the annual time series in 1995 – down 10% (from 195,000) compared to 2023.
31% of all registered deaths were reported to coroners in 2024	The proportion of registered deaths in England and Wales has decreased by three percentage points compared to 2023.
Deaths in state detention, up 11% in the last year	546 deaths in state detention (including deaths of those released from custody within 7 days and residents of probation approved schemes) were reported to coroners in 2024 (up from 492 in 2023), the increase was driven by a 16% rise in deaths of those in prison custody.
Post-mortem examinations were carried out in 46% of all deaths reported in 2024	There were 81,200 post-mortem examinations ordered by coroners in 2024, a 6% fall compared to 2023. The proportion of reported deaths requiring a post-mortem increased by two percentage points over the same period.
1% fewer inquests opened in 2024	36,700 inquests were opened in 2024, down 1% (from 36,900) compared to 2023. As a proportion of deaths reported, inquests opened is at its highest level since the start of the annual time series in 1995, at 21%.
Inquest conclusions remained stable	In 2024, 39,600 inquest conclusions were recorded in total, stable compared to 2023. Excluding unclassified conclusions, road traffic collisions had the largest increase, up 6% on 2023, to 934 inquest conclusions in 2024. Natural causes had the largest decrease, down 13% on 2023, to 4,900 inquest conclusions in 2024.
Average time taken to complete an inquest reduced slightly	The estimated average time taken to process an inquest decreased from 31.5 weeks in 2023 to 31.2 weeks in 2024.
Prevention of Future Deaths reports up by 25%	713 Prevention of Future Deaths reports were issued in 2024, an increase of 25% compared to 2023.

This annual publication presents statistics of deaths reported to Coroners in England and Wales in 2024. Information is provided on the number of deaths reported to coroners, post-mortem examinations and inquests held, and conclusions recorded at inquests. A map reference of Coroner areas in England and Wales is available in the supporting document published alongside this bulletin. For previous editions of this report please see: www.gov.uk/government/collections/coroners-and-burials-statistics.

We are currently conducting a user consultation on these statistics. If you are interested in offering your views on this publication and future developments, the survey can be found here. This consultation will run until 30th September 2025.

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2. Statistician’s comment

In 2024, the number of deaths reported to coroners fell to its lowest level since the annual time series began in 1995. Registered deaths also saw a slight decline. However, the proportion of deaths reported to coroners which resulted in inquests was at its highest since the annual time series began in 1995, at 21%.

Post-mortem examinations were conducted in 46% of deaths reported to coroners, showing a slight increase in proportion compared to the previous year. Inquests opened in 2024 decreased by 1%, ending the rising trend seen since 2019. However, the number of inquest conclusions reached the highest level since 2016, with the most common conclusions being death by misadventure, suicide, and natural causes.

Suicide conclusions decreased by 1% in 2024 compared to the previous year but remained at their second highest level since the start of the series in 1995. This decrease was larger in females than males. It is important to note that these conclusions are recorded after an inquest and so may relate to deaths from the same or earlier years.

The average time taken to complete an inquest in 2024 reduced by 0.4 weeks, when compared to 2023.

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3. Deaths Reported to Coroners

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10% decrease in the number of deaths reported to coroners in 2024

174,878 deaths were reported to coroners in 2024, the lowest level since the start of the annual time series in 1995. This is a decrease of 20,121 (10%) from 2023.

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31% of all registered deaths were reported to coroners in 2024

The number of deaths reported to coroners as a percentage of all registered deaths has decreased by three percentage points when compared with 2023.

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All deaths in England and Wales must be registered with the Registrar of Births and Deaths and statistics on all registered deaths are published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The ONS mortality statistics, based on death registrations, report the number of deaths registered in England and Wales in a particular year irrespective of whether a coroner has investigated the death.

The Ministry of Justice’s coroner statistics provide the number of deaths which are reported to coroners in England and Wales. The coroner has a duty to investigate when there is reason to believe that the cause of death is unknown or that the death was violent, unnatural, or occurred in custody or other state detention. Further background information is provided in Chapter 1 of the supporting guidance document.

On 9 September 2024, a statutory Medical Examiner system was implemented in England and Wales. The new system means that every death is subject either to a medical examiner’s scrutiny or to a coroner’s investigation, ensuring that all deaths, without exception, are subject an independent review. The new arrangements will also ensure that cases are managed in the right parts of the system and, in particular, that only those deaths which require investigation are referred to the coroner. This is designed to enable better focusing of coronial resource which, in turn, is expected to support the reduction of inquest backlogs and delays. The medical examiner’s responsibilities include scrutinising the causes of death to ensure accuracy in certification and determining whether a death should be reported to the coroner.

The introduction of medical examiners aims to reduce the number of unnecessary referrals to the coroner and decrease instances where deaths are referred simply due to the absence of a doctor who can certify a cause of death. This new process may affect the volume, complexity, and timeliness of cases reported to coroners.

The number of deaths reported to coroners in 2024 decreased by 20,121 (10%) to 174,878, the lowest level since the start of the annual time series in 1995. In comparison, ONS registered deaths fell 12,740 (2%)^{[footnote 1]} from 2023 to 2024. The proportion of registered deaths in 2024 that were reported to coroners was 31%, down three percentage points from 2023.

The number of registered deaths in England, Wales and non-residents^{[footnote 2]} had been broadly increasing, from a low of 484,367 in 2011 to 541,589 in 2018. Following a small fall in 2019, registered deaths rose to 607,922 in 2020 – the highest level in absolute terms since reporting began, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Registered deaths fell in 2021 to 586,334 yet remained relatively stable around this level in the following two years. ONS provisional figures for 2024 shows a decrease to 568,623.

The number of deaths reported to coroners initially followed a similar trend, from a low of 222,371 in 2011 and peaking at 241,211 in 2016. However, from 2017 to 2021 and again from 2023 to 2024, there was a decline in deaths reported to coroners, with registered deaths also decreasing in 2019, 2021 and 2024. This indicates a return to the broadly stable levels seen before 2015, as shown in figure 1. 2022 marked the first increase in the number of deaths reported to coroners since 2016.

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Figure 1: Registered deaths and deaths reported to coroners, England and Wales, 2014-2024 (Source: Table 2)

Out of England and Wales orders

To take a body of a deceased person out of England and Wales, notice must be given to the coroner within whose area the body is lying, whether or not the death is subject to investigation by the coroner. When the coroner gives permission for the removal of a body, an Out of England and Wales order is issued.

Out of England and Wales orders as a proportion of registered deaths has consistently remained around 1%. This year coroners issued 5,318 Out of England and Wales orders, compared with 5,802 issued in 2023.

Deaths abroad

Of the 174,878 deaths reported to coroners in 2024, around 1% (1,535) were deaths that had occurred outside England and Wales. The number of reported deaths which occurred abroad decreased by 2% (26 cases) in 2024 compared with 2023 (1,561 cases).

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4. Deaths in State Detention

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Deaths in state detention (including those released from custody within 7 days and residents of probation approved schemes) reported to coroners increased by 11% to 546 in 2024, driven by a rise in the number of deaths which occurred in prison custody.

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In 2024, a total of 546 deaths which occurred in state detention were reported to coroners, this includes deaths in state detention, deaths of those released from custody within the last seven days and deaths of those in residents of probation approved schemes, an increase of 54 deaths (11%) on the previous year and representing less than 1% of all deaths reported to coroners.

There were 151 reported deaths of individuals subject to Mental Health Act Detention in 2024, a 3% increase (four cases) compared with 2023. The Care Quality Commission reported 225 deaths under the Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended)^{[footnote 3]} in financial year 2023/24, down 15% on the number they reported in 2022/23 (264 deaths).

The number of deaths in prison custody reported to coroners increased by 16% (50 cases) compared with 2023, to 359 deaths in 2024. His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) reported 342 deaths in prison custody in 2024 (Safety in Custody Statistics^{[footnote 4]}), up 10% on the number they reported in 2023 (311 deaths). The deaths in prison custody reported by coroners (359) have been cross-referenced to deaths in prison custody recorded on the HMPPS database (342) in order to ensure consistency between these two sources. The difference (17) may be due to timing. Deaths which are transferred between areas or occur close to the end of the calendar year may be reported to the coroner in the next year, causing minor discrepancies. Police custody cases decreased by 4, to 16 deaths. For more detailed information on prison custody deaths please see the Safety in Custody Statistics publication.

Figure 2: Number of deaths in state detention (excluding Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards), by type of detention, 2011-2024 (Source: Table 6)

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5. Post-Mortem examinations held

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Post-mortem examinations were carried out in 46% of all deaths reported to coroners in 2024

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Post-mortem examinations (including invasive and less-invasive forms) were held in 81,185 deaths reported to coroners in 2024, down 4,829 (6%) from 2023. This represents 46% of all deaths reported to coroners in 2024, an increase in proportion by two percentage points on the 2023 volume.

Figure 1 of the supporting guidance document published alongside these statistics provides an overview of the possible outcomes when a death is reported to a coroner, including circumstances involving a post-mortem examination.

Figure 3: Post-Mortems as a percentage of deaths reported to coroners, England and Wales, 2018-2024 (Source: Tables 3-4)

Post-mortem examinations may be classed as either standard or non-standard, depending on the nature of the examination. A non-standard post-mortem requires specialist skills – for example, a paediatric or other specialist pathologist. In 2024, almost all (93%) of post-mortem examinations were ordered at the standard rate – down one percentage point compared with 2023.

The proportion of post-mortem examinations carried out varies from 22% of deaths reported in City of London to 78% in South Yorkshire (Eastern), as shown by Map 1. Caution should be taken when making comparisons between regions in terms of any coronial activity – for example, the number of post-mortem examinations, the number of inquests opened, or timeliness - as differences in local authority set-up, resource, facilities and socio-economic make up mean this will not be comparing like with like.

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Map 1: Post-Mortem Examinations held as a proportion of deaths reported to coroners, England and Wales, 2024

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Cases requiring neither a post-mortem nor inquest

There were 73,540 deaths reported to coroners where there was neither a post-mortem nor an inquest. This will be cases where a natural cause was established at some point after the report of death and before inquest. This type of case has decreased by 17% in the current year and the number of cases reported is the lowest level since the start of the time series in 1995. The proportion of all deaths reported to coroners where there was neither an inquest nor a post-mortem examination has decreased by three percentage points to 42% in 2024. Of the investigations without a post-mortem or inquest, a decision was made to discontinue 2,334 of them in 2024, up from 1,783, an increase of 31%, in 2023.

Histology, toxicology and less-invasive post-mortem examinations

In 2024, 20% (16,604) of all post-mortem examinations included histology, no change from 20% (17,619) in 2023. Post-mortem examinations including toxicology increased by six cases over the same period to 22,832 (remaining stable), with 28% of all post-mortem examinations held in 2024 including toxicology - continuing the consistently rising trend since the timeseries begun in 2011.

There were 14,801 post-mortem examinations conducted using less-invasive techniques alongside an autopsy or other invasive intervention, and 8,230 using only less-invasive techniques (such as Computerised Tomography [CT] scans) in 2024. The number of post-mortem examinations carried out using only less-invasive techniques varied from zero in 17 areas to 1,337 in South Yorkshire (Eastern). Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen, South Yorkshire (Eastern), Black Country, Leicester City and South Leicestershire, and Rutland and North Leicestershire conducted over half (88%, 85%, 79%, 57% and 56% respectively) of all their post-mortem examinations using only less-invasive techniques. Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent, Derby and Derbyshire, West Yorkshire (Western), and South Yorkshire (Western) conducted over a quarter of all their post-mortem examinations using only less-invasive techniques (46%, 33%, 28% and 27% respectively).

Additionally, 11 post-mortem examinations were conducted following a request from a defence lawyer (less than 1% of all post-mortems) and 3% (2,234) of post-mortem examinations were conducted by a Home Office (HO) forensic pathologist. These would usually be held in relation to a criminal investigation.

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6. Inquests Opened

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1% decrease in inquests opened in 2024 (Source: Table 2)

The number of inquests opened in 2024 decreased by 194 (down 1%) to 36,661.

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There were 36,661 inquests opened in 2024, a 1% decrease on 2023, ending the rising trend seen since 2019.

Reported deaths which led to inquests represented 21% of all the deaths reported to coroners in 2024, an increase from 19% in 2023. The number of inquests opened as a proportion of deaths reported in 2024 varied across coroner areas, from 11% in Teesside and Hartlepool to 39% in Manchester City. Map 2 shows the inquests opened as a proportion of deaths reported in 2024 for all coroner areas in England and Wales.

Inquests with juries and suspended investigations (Source: Table 9)

A jury is required by law in certain inquests, including non-natural deaths in custody or other state detention or where police force was involved. Coroners can exercise discretionary powers to hold a jury inquest where they deem it appropriate.

There were 546 inquests held with juries in 2024 (representing 1% of all inquests), an increase of 72 (15%) compared with 2023.

In 2024, 917 investigations were suspended (and a decision was made not to resume) by the coroner under Schedule 1^{[footnote 5]} to the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 because related criminal proceedings took place. Of these, 855 had an inquest open at the time of suspension.

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Map 2: Inquests opened as a proportion of deaths reported to coroners, England and Wales, 2024

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7. Inquest Conclusions

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Inquest conclusions recorded remained stable. Excluding unclassified conclusions the largest increase was recorded in road traffic collisions and the largest decrease in natural causes

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There were 39,586 inquest conclusions recorded in 2024, up 117 (remaining broadly stable, rising slightly to the highest level since 2016) from 2023. Of the inquests concluded 4,388 were inquests in writing, up 1,823 (71%) from 2023. 2023 was the first year this breakdown of the data was collected as the statutory provision only became available in June 2022 and so was still bedding in 2023. The data should be treated with caution as not all coroners were set up to provide this information from January 2023. Background information on inquest conclusions is provided in Chapter 1 of the supporting guidance document.

Conclusions are recorded after an inquest. This means that the conclusions recorded in a certain year may relate to deaths from the same year or earlier years.

In 2024, the most common short form conclusions (by order of frequency) were death by misadventure (9,756 or 25% of all conclusions), suicide (5,230 or 13%) and death by natural causes (4,911 or 12%), although this fell by 13% when compared to 2023, possibly due to an early effect of the statutory medical examiners system introduced in September 2024.

The cohort of “unclassified” conclusions were up 9% on 2023, to 10,910, and made up 28% of all inquest conclusions in 2024. The term “unclassified” is a way of recording an outcome where the coroner or jury do not rely on just one of the short-form conclusions, or where a narrative conclusion or rider (which may or may not be accompanied by a short-form conclusion) is returned by the coroner or jury.

The number of suicide conclusions decreased by 1% compared with 2023. The decrease was higher in females (5% compared with 2023) than males (which decreased by less than 1% compared with 2023).

Industrial disease conclusions fell by 6% in the last year (to 1,915 cases), the lowest level since 1997.

Figure 4: Number of conclusions recorded at inquests, England and Wales, 2018-2024 (Source: Table 7)

*Includes Killed unlawfully; Killed lawfully; Lack of care or self-neglect; Stillborn; Open; Industrial Disease; Drugs/Alcohol related^{[footnote 6]}; and Road traffic collision.

In 2024, natural causes conclusions decreased by 13% to 4,911.

In 2024, the number of unclassified conclusions increased by 934 cases (up 9%) to 10,910. Unclassified conclusions made up 28% of all inquest conclusions in 2024, an increase in proportion by two percentage points compared with the 2023 amount. The rise in unclassified conclusions seen until 2014 and again from 2016 is partly due to the increasing use of what are known as ‘narrative conclusions’ by some coroners. In these cases, the conclusion is recorded as unclassified. As well as narrative conclusions, this category includes short non-standard conclusions which a coroner or jury might return when the circumstances do not easily fit any of the standard conclusions^{[footnote 7]}.

The proportion of conclusions recorded as suicide has remained broadly constant over the past five years, remaining at 13% of all conclusions in 2023 and 2024. This proportion varies from 4% in City of London to 24% in Wiltshire and Swindon.

For the remaining conclusion types, alcohol/drugs related deaths continued to increase. This year it increased by 47 cases (up 1%) to 4,650, the highest level in the timeseries. Road traffic collisions increased by 53 cases (up 6%) to 934.

Open conclusions have seen a decrease over the last decade - they accounted for 3% of all inquests concluded in 2024 compared with 6% in 2014. Year on year, open conclusions decreased by 7% compared with 2023.

Figure 5 shows the proportion changes in inquest conclusions between 2023 and 2024.

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Figure 5: Conclusions recorded at inquest, by category and as a proportion of all conclusions, England and Wales, 2023 and 2024 (Source: Table 7)^{[footnote 8] [footnote 9]}

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8. Inquest Conclusions by Sex

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Conclusions recorded at inquests by sex^{[footnote 10]}

Male deaths accounted for 63% of all conclusions recorded in 2024 while female deaths accounted for 37%. These proportions are stable compared to 2023.

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The pattern of conclusions recorded differs between males and females. Males accounted for 59% of deaths reported but 63% of all conclusions recorded in 2024.

Correspondingly, female deaths accounted for 37% of all conclusions recorded in 2024 (and 41% of all deaths reported). Figure 6 shows the variation in the sex proportions, depending on the type of inquest conclusion. Industrial disease had the highest proportion of inquests relating to males^{[footnote 11]}, at 93%; lack of care or self-neglect had the highest proportion of inquests relating to females, at 52%.

Figure 6: Conclusions recorded at inquests by sex, England and Wales, 2024 (Source: Table 7)

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9. Inquest Conclusions by Age

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Around half of inquests completed were conducted in respect of those aged 65 years and over

Of the inquests completed in 2024, 56% related to persons who were aged 65 years or over at the time of death compared with 5% relating to persons under 25 years of age.

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The profile of the age of the deceased in inquests has changed slightly from 2023 to 2024. The percentage of inquests completed relating to persons aged 65 or over has decreased by one percentage point from 57% to 56%. By contrast, 5% of inquests concluded related to persons under 25 years of age, unchanged compared to 2023, while the percentage of those between 25 and 65 years rose by one percentage point to 39% (see Table 8).

Over the last 10 years from 2014 to 2024, the percentage of inquests completed for persons aged 65 or over increased from 50% to 56%. Inquests concluded for those under 25 years of age decreased from 7% to 5% and for those aged between 25 and 65 years the percentage fell from 43% to 39% over the same period.

Although an age breakdown of registered deaths in England and Wales in 2024 is not yet available, ONS figures for 2023^{[footnote 12]} show that 84% of registered deaths in England and Wales were persons aged 65 or over, with only 1% aged under 25 years old.

Figure 7: Proportion of inquest conclusions by age of deceased, England and Wales, 2023 and 2024 (Source: Table 8)^{[footnote 13]}

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10. Time taken to process an inquest

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Overall the average time taken to process an inquest decreased slightly

The estimated average time taken to process an inquest is down from 31.5 weeks in 2023 to 31.2 weeks in 2024.

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The estimated^{[footnote 14]} average time taken to process an inquest in 2024 (defined as being from the date the death was reported until the conclusion of the inquest) was 31.2 weeks (see Table 13)^{[footnote 15]}, a decrease of 0.4^{[footnote 16]} weeks compared with 2023.

The average time taken to process an inquest in 2024 ranges from 10 weeks to 76 weeks. This disparity between regions is mainly due to differences that exist from one coroner area to another. Some of these differences are:

• Availability of resource, staff and judicial resources

• The presence of facilities like hospitals and prisons

• Socio-economic make up of regions

Therefore, a direct comparison between coroner areas is not advised.

Map 3 provides an overview of average time taken across coroner areas in England and Wales.

More information about how the average time taken has been estimated can be found in the Guide to coroner statistics published alongside this report.

Figure 8: Average time taken to process an inquest (in weeks), 2018-2024 (Source: Table 9)

In 2024, 29% of inquests were completed in less than 3 months, 55% in less than 6 months, 82% took up to a year and 18% took over a year, compared to 29%, 54%, 82% and 18% respectively in 2023, and 29%, 56%, 84% and 16% respectively in 2022.

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Map 3: Estimated average time taken to process inquests, England and Wales, 2024

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11. Prevention of Future Death reports

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There were 713 PFD reports issued by coroners in 2024, up 25% compared with 2023.

A Prevention of Future Deaths (PFD) report is issued by a coroner if there is a concern (arising from the investigation) that action should be taken to reduce or prevent the risk of other deaths occurring in the future. A PFD report is issued to people or organisations whom the coroner believes are in a position to take action.

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Collection of data on PFD reports for these statistics started in 2021 (partial year collection). In 2024, there were 713 PFD reports issued - this represents 2% of all inquests concluded and an increase of 25% compared with 2023.

All the coroner regions issued PFDs in 2024. The London region issued 96, the highest number as a proportion of inquests concluded (2%). London also issued the highest proportion in 2023 (3%). The West Midlands region issued the lowest number of reports (60) as a proportion of inquests concluded (1%). The West Midlands region also issued the lowest proportion in 2023 (1%). A further breakdown shows 8 coroner areas issued no PFDs in 2024. PFD reports and the responses to them must be copied to the Chief Coroner, who may publish them on the Judiciary website. Individual PFD reports and their responses can be found here.

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12. Treasure and Treasure Trove

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There was a 12% increase in Treasure finds^{[footnote 17]} reported in 2024 and a 10% increase in inquest conclusions on finds

1,363 finds were reported to coroners in 2024, an increase of 144 on 2023. 500 inquests were concluded into finds. Of these, 98% (491) returned a conclusion of treasure, an increase in proportion by two percentage points when compared with 2023.

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The Government introduced a new definition of treasure from July 2023^{[footnote 18]} which includes a “significance-based” class of treasure, rather than being based solely on material composition and age.

In 2024, 1,363 finds were reported and 500 inquests were concluded. There were no inquests held into Treasure Trove in 2024 (relating to finds made before the Treasure Act 1996 came into force). It is likely that a few such inquests will continue to be held from time to time, although the prevalence of such cases is decreasing.

The number of finds reported has been steadily increasing since the commencement of the 1996 Act in September 1997, from 54 finds in 1997 to 1,059 in 2017. Between 2018 and 2020, however, the number was more volatile. There was a big surge in metal detecting activity during and following the Covid pandemic such that, since 2021, the number has been rising again. In 2024, the number of finds rose to 1,363 from 1,219 in 2023 (up 12%). The number of treasure inquest conclusions increased by 10% (from 454 in 2023 to 500 in 2024).

Of the 500 inquests concluded in 2024, 98% (491) returned a conclusion of treasure, an increase in proportion by two percentage points compared to 2023.

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Figure 9: Finds reported to coroners, treasure inquests held under the Treasure Act, and proportion of Treasure conclusions returned, 2014-2024 (Source: Table 10)^{[footnote 19]}

The number of finds and inquests held varies greatly across the country, most likely due to geographical and historical differences between areas. In 2024, 24 coroner areas had no treasure finds reported to them, whilst Norfolk had the highest number of treasure finds at 132. Map 4 shows treasure finds across England and Wales in 2024. More information about the duties of coroners to investigate treasure found within their jurisdiction and the provisions of the Treasure Act 1996 (and the previous Treasure Trove provisions) can be found in the supporting guidance.

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Map 4: Number of treasure finds reported to coroners, England and Wales, 2024

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13. Annex A: Details of recent Coroner Area mergers

The following table summarises the coroner area mergers that have occurred during 2023 and 2024. For a list of all historical amalgamations and changes to coroner areas, please refer to the supporting guidance document.

Date effective	Previous Coroner Area	New Coroner Area	Nature of merge
01-Apr-23	Newcastle upon Tyne; North Tyneside	Newcastle and North Tyneside	2 into 1
01-Apr-23	Brighton and Hove; West Sussex	West Sussex, Brighton and Hove	2 into 1
01-Oct-23	Staffordshire South; Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire	Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent	2 into 1
01-Apr-24	North Lincolnshire and Grimsby; Lincolnshire	Greater Lincolnshire	2 into 1
01-Apr-24	Exeter and Greater Devon; Plymouth, Torbay and South Devon	Devon, Plymouth and Torbay	2 into 1
01-Apr-24	North Northumberland; South Northumberland	Northumberland	2 into 1

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14. Annex B: Further analysis of deaths reported to coroners

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In 2024 the number of deaths reported to coroners as a proportion of registered deaths varied widely across coroner areas, from 19% in Rutland and North Leicestershire to 53% in Inner North London

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In this section we have provided further analysis using data published by ONS.

The number of deaths reported to coroners in 2024 varied markedly by coroner area – from 302 in Ceredigion to 5,271 in Essex. The number of deaths reported in each area will be affected by its size, resident population, demographic breakdown and profile, so comparisons of the number of deaths reported to coroners across coroner areas should be treated with caution.

When looking at the number of deaths reported to coroners in 2024 as a proportion of registered deaths^{[footnote 20]}, which allow for some differences in population characteristics, there is still a wide variation across coroner areas, with a minimum of 19% in Rutland and North Leicestershire compared with the maximum of 53% in Inner North London. However, caution should be taken when using these figures as local area factors can influence these proportions. For example, large hospitals can impact the proportion, due to the difference between the coroners’ figures being based on the place of death and the ONS figures being based on the place of residence.

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Figure 10: Coroner areas split by the number of deaths reported to coroners in 2024 as a proportion of registered deaths (Source: Table 11)^{[footnote 21] [footnote 22]}

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15. Further Information

Revisions to statistics for previous years

The estimated figure for the number of registered deaths in 2023 which was derived from monthly data for the purposes of Table 2 in last year’s edition of this bulletin has now been replaced by the annual figure published by the Office for National Statistics.

Symbols and rounding convention

Within the ‘Key Findings’ sections, figures greater than 1,000 are rounded to the nearest 100. The following symbols have been used throughout the tables in this bulletin:

n/a	=	Not applicable
-	=	Zero
..	=	No data available
(p)	=	Provisional Data
(r)	=	Revised Data

Accompanying files

• This bulletin should be read alongside the statistical tables which accompany it. These tables are also available in an accessible format.

• There is also a supporting comma-separated values file (CSV) to allow users to carry out their own analysis.

• In addition to the bulletin and tables, we have published a coroners’ statistical tool. The tool provides easier access to local level data and allows the user to compare up to four areas of interest, for example, it is possible to compare a coroner area with a geographical region, England and/or Wales.

• The accompanying guide to coroner statistics provides a more detailed overview of coroners; including the functions of coroners and the chief coroner, policy background and changes, statistical revision policies, and data sources and quality. It also includes a glossary with brief definitions for some commonly used terms.

• The quality statement published with this guide sets out our policies for producing quality statistical outputs for the information we provide to maintain our users’ understanding and trust.

National Statistics Status

National Statistics status are accredited official statistics that meet the highest standards of trustworthiness, quality and public value.

Accredited official statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007. These accredited official statistics were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation in January 2019. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics and should be labelled ‘accredited official statistics’.

It is the Ministry of Justice’s responsibility to maintain compliance with the standards expected for National Statistics. If we become concerned about whether these statistics are still meeting the appropriate standards, we will discuss any concerns with the Authority promptly. National Statistics status can be removed at any point when the highest standards are not maintained, and reinstated when standards are restored.

Contact

Press enquiries should be directed to the Ministry of Justice or HMCTS press office:

Lydia Jenkinson (MoJ) - email: Lydia.Jenkinson@justice.gov.uk

Other enquiries about these statistics should be directed to the Courts and People division of the Ministry of Justice:

Rita Kumi-Ampofo or Matteo Chiesa - email: CAJS@justice.gov.uk

Next update: Thursday 14th May 2026

URL: www.gov.uk/government/collections/coroners-and-burials-statistics

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Produced by the Ministry of Justice

For any feedback on the layout or content of this publication or requests for alternative formats, please contact cajs@justice.gov.uk

1. Provisional figure based on ONS monthly death registration figures for 2024: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/monthlyfiguresondeathsregisteredbyareaofusualresidence ↩

2. Non-residents of England and Wales include those whose usual residence is outside England and Wales. ↩

3. For further detail please see section ‘Notifications of deaths of detained patients and patients subject to a community treatment order’ of ‘Monitoring the Mental Health Act in 2023/24’, available at the following link: https://www.cqc.org.uk/publications/monitoring-mental-health-act/2023-2024/activity ↩

4. Safety in custody: quarterly update to December 2024 - GOV.UK ↩

5. Schedule 1 to the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 states that the coroner should suspended an investigation in the event that criminal proceedings may or will take place. ↩

6. For years 2007-2013 this includes the previously used conclusions “Dependence on drugs” and “Non-dependent abuse on drugs” ↩

7. An analysis on unclassified conclusions can be found in the Coroners Statistics 2012 publication (Annex A), available at: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coroners-statistics ↩

8. Total percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding ↩

9. ‘All other conclusions’ includes: Killed lawfully; Killed unlawfully; Lack of care or self-neglect; Stillborn and represent together less than 1% of the short-form conclusions recorded. ↩

10. The sex of the deceased is based on the ‘registrable particulars’ which coroners have a duty to record. Death certificates only give two options, ‘male’ and ‘female’, and these will normally be completed by the registrar based on the information given to them by the informant. Under normal circumstances there would not be an investigation to ascertain whether what the informant says corresponds to the biological sex of the deceased. ↩

11. Killed Lawfully was excluded from above, as there was only 1 such inquest conclusion in 2024. ↩

12. ONS data is available online at: www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/deathsregisteredinenglandandwalesseriesdrreferencetables ↩

13. The ‘age not known’ category has been excluded from the chart due to small numbers (less than 0.5%). Totals may not add up to 100% due to rounding. ↩

14. A direct average of the time taken to process an inquest cannot be calculated from the summary data collected; an estimate has therefore been made instead. Please see the Guide to the Coroners statistics published alongside this report for the methodology used. ↩

15. Only deaths occurring within England and Wales are included in this estimation. ↩

16. Rounded from 0.355. ↩

17. The latest Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) provisional figures are for 2023 and showed there were 1,358 finds reported in England and Wales, in line with the 1,219 treasure finds reported to Coroner Areas in 2023. These figures can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistical-release-for-reported-treasure-finds-2022-and-2023 ↩

18. Thousands more treasures to be saved for the nation as rules about discoveries are changed - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) ↩

19. This chart does not include reported findings under “Treasure Trove” ↩

20. As the ONS death registration figures are based on the area of usual residence whereas the coroners’ figures are based on the area where a person died, these figures should be used with caution. For example, the coroner office for the City of London shows a distorted figure above 100% due to the low level of residence and high level of commuters. ↩

21. Provisional figure based on ONS monthly death registration figures for 2024 ↩

22. City of London has been excluded from this analysis due to the percentage of deaths being greater than 100% - please see footnote 20 above for further information. So only 76 coroner areas have been included in this analysis. ↩