2% decrease in inquests opened of all deaths reported to coroners in 2025
Dr Martin Harris
The number of inquests opened in 2025 decreased by 672 (down 2%) to 35,989.
The annual publication presents statistics of deaths reported to Coroners in England and Wales in 2025.
An inquest is a public hearing held by a coroner as part of their investigation to establish who has died, and how, when and where they came by their death. This is required if the death occurred in state detention or if the cause is not thought be natural. An inquest does not establish any matter of criminal or civil liability and does not seek to blame anyone or apportion blame between people or organisations.
There were 35,989 inquests opened in 2025, a 2% decrease on 2024.
Reported deaths which led to an inquest represented 24% of all the deaths reported to coroners in 2025, an increase from 21% in 2024. The number of inquests opened as a proportion of deaths reported in 2025 varied across coroner areas, from 12% in Inner West London to 47% in Manchester South. Map 2 shows the inquests opened as a proportion of deaths reported in 2025 for all coroner areas in England and Wales.
Inquests with juries and suspended investigations
A jury is required by law in certain inquests, including non-natural deaths in custody or other state detention or where the death resulted from an act or omission of a police officer, or a member of a service police force. Coroners can exercise discretionary powers to hold a jury inquest where they deem it appropriate.
There were 527 inquests held with juries in 2025 (representing 1% of all inquests), a decrease of 19 (3%) compared with 2024.
In 2025, 793 investigations were suspended (and a decision was made not to resume) by the coroner under Schedule 1 to the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 because related criminal proceedings took place and the statutory questions had been sufficiently answered. Of these, 733 had an inquest open at the time of suspension.
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