For GPs and hospice doctors: refer a death

When and how professionals should refer deaths to the Coroner

When to refer a death

A death must be notified to the relevant senior coroner where there is reasonable cause to suspect that the death was due to :

  • poisoning including by an otherwise benign substance
  • exposure to, or contact with, a toxic substance
  • the use of a medicinal product, the use of a controlled drug or psychoactive substance
  • violence, trauma or injury
  • self-harm
  • neglect, including self-neglect
  • a person undergoing any treatment or procedure of a medical or similar nature
  • an injury or disease attributable to any employment held by the person during the person’s lifetime

You should also refer a death if:

  • it was an unnatural death that does not fall within any of the above circumstances
  • the cause of death is unknown
  • the person was subject to State Detention (excluding a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding Order) (DoLS)
  • there was no attending registered medical practitioner, and there is no other registered medical practitioner to sign a medical certificate cause of death in relation to the deceased person
  • the attending medical practitioner is not available within a reasonable time of the person’s death to sign the certificate of cause of death
  • the identity of the deceased person is unknown

For a full list of what types of deaths need to be reported, see the Revised Notification of Deaths Regulations 2019 guidance on GOV.UK (published 24 March 2022).

Refer a death 

(This link will take you to our online referral form)

What happens after you refer a death

After you’ve referred a death, we’ll email you a copy of the referral. This will include a unique reference number. You should use this and the person’s last name when you speak to us about your referral.

We’ll contact the person’s family within 24 hours to let them know what will happen next. We will keep the family updated throughout the process. A coroner’s officer will be assigned to the case.

The circumstances of the death will be discussed with the Coroner and the person’s family.

The coroner will then decide whether to investigate further or close the case.

We know this is a stressful time for the family, and we’ll try our best to conduct the investigation quickly, so it doesn’t delay funeral arrangements.

We don’t provide help with cremation documents once a medical certificate of cause of death (MCCD) has been issued. You can find guidance on cremation on GOV.UK.