In 2025 the number of deaths reported to coroners as a proportion of registered deaths varied widely across coroner areas, from 13% in Rutland and North Leicestershire to 54% in Inner North London

Dr Martin Harris

The annual publication presents statistics of deaths reported to Coroners in England and Wales in 2025.

 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coroners-statistics-2025/coroners-statistics-2025-england-and-wales

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

The number of deaths reported to coroners in 2025 varied markedly by coroner area – from 222 in City of London to 4,897 in Kent and Medway. 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 2025 as a proportion of registered deaths, which allow for some differences in population characteristics, there is still a wide variation across coroner areas, with a minimum of 13% in Rutland and North Leicestershire compared with the maximum of 54% 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.

Dr Martin Harris

Private GP in London and expert for medical legal reports and qualified Medical Examiner RCPathME

The post Coroner Further analysis of deaths reported appeared first on Private GP in London.

There was a 19% increase in Treasure finds reported in 2025 and a 27% increase in inquest conclusions on finds

Dr Martin Harris

The annual publication presents statistics of deaths reported to Coroners in England and Wales in 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coroners-statistics-2025/coroners-statistics-2025-england-and-wales

1,621 finds were reported to coroners in 2025, an increase of 258 on 2024. 635 inquests were concluded into finds. Of these, 97% (614) returned a conclusion of treasure, a decrease in proportion by two percentage points when compared with 2024.

The Government introduced a new and expanded definition of treasure from July 2023 which includes a “significance-based” class of treasure, rather than being based solely on material composition and age.

In 2025, 1,621 finds were reported and 635 inquests were concluded. Separately, there were no inquests held into Treasure Trove in 2025 (Tresure Trove relates to finds made before the Treasure Act 1996 came into force).

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. Since 2021, the number has been rising again. In 2025, the number of finds rose to the highest level in the time series at 1,621, from 1,363 in 2024 (up 19%). The number of treasure inquest conclusions increased by 27% (from 500 in 2024 to 635 in 2025).

Of the 635 inquests concluded in 2025, 97% (614) returned a conclusion of treasure, a decrease in proportion by two percentage points compared to 2024.

The number of finds and inquests held varies greatly across the country, which is likely due to geographical and historical differences between areas. In 2025, 12 coroner areas had no treasure finds reported to them, whilst Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton had the highest number of treasure finds at 172.

Dr Martin Harris

Private GP in London and expert for medical legal reports and qualified Medical Examiner RCPathME

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There were 654 PFD reports issued by coroners in 2025, down 8% compared with 2024.

Dr Martin Harris

The annual publication presents statistics of deaths reported to Coroners in England and Wales in 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coroners-statistics-2025/coroners-statistics-2025-england-and-wales

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.

Collection of data on PFD reports for these statistics started in 2021 (partial year collection). In 2025, there were 654 PFD reports issued – this represents 2% of all inquests concluded and a decrease of 8% in the number of PFDs issued compared with 2024.

All the coroner region issued PFDs in 2025. The London region issued 108, the highest number as a proportion of inquests concluded (3%). London also issued the highest proportion in 2024 (3%). The East Midlands region issued the lowest number of reports (41) as a proportion of inquests concluded (1%). The North East region issued the lowest proportion in 2024 (1%). A further breakdown shows 3 coroner areas issued no PFDs in 2025. PFD reports and the responses to them must be copied to the Chief Coroner, who may publish them on the Judiciary website

Dr Martin Harris

Private GP in London and expert for medical legal reports and qualified Medical Examiner RCPathME

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Time taken to process a coroner inquest overall the average time taken to process an inquest remained stable

Time taken to process a coroner inquest the estimated average time taken to process an inquest remained stable at 31.3 weeks in 2025.

Dr Martin Harris

The annual publication presents statistics of deaths reported to Coroners in England and Wales in 2025. 

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coroners-statistics-2025/coroners-statistics-2025-england-and-wales

Time taken to process a coroner inquest the estimated average time taken to process an inquest in 2025 (defined as being from the date the death was reported until the conclusion of the inquest) was 31.3 weeks stable compared with 2024.

The average time taken to process an inquest in 2025 ranges from 11.2 weeks to 77.4 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, including staff and judicial resources
• Local complexity, including the presence of facilities like hospitals and prisons
• Socio-economic make up of regions

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

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

In 2025, 29% of inquests were completed in less than 3 months, 56% in less than 6 months, 81% took up to a year and 19% took over a year, compared to 29%, 55%, 82% and 18% respectively in 2024, and 29%, 54%, 82% and 18% respectively in 2023.

Dr Martin Harris

Private GP in London and expert for medical legal reports and qualified Medical Examiner RCPathME

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Coroners Inquest Conclusions by Age Of the inquests completed in 2025, 55% 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.

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. 

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coroners-statistics-2025/coroners-statistics-2025-england-and-wales

Coroners Inquest Conclusions by AgeThe profile of the age of the deceased in inquests has changed slightly from 2024 to 2025. The percentage of inquests completed relating to persons aged 65 or over has decreased by less than one percentage point to 55%. By contrast, 5% of inquests concluded related to persons under 25 years of age, unchanged compared to 2024, while the percentage of those between 25 and 65 years remained stable at 39% (see Table 8).

Over the last 10 years from 2015 to 2025, the percentage of inquests completed for persons aged 65 or over decreased from 61% to 55%. Inquests concluded for those under 25 years of age remained stable at 5% and for those aged between 25 and 65 years the percentage rose from 34% to 39% over the same period.

Although an age breakdown of registered deaths in England and Wales in 2025 is not yet available, ONS figures for 2024 show that 84% of registered deaths in England and Wales were persons aged 65 or over, with only 1% aged under 25 years old.

Dr Martin Harris

Private GP in London and expert for medical legal reports and qualified Medical Examiner RCPathME

The post Coroners Inquest Conclusions by Age appeared first on Private GP in London.

Dr Martin Harris

The annual publication presents statistics of deaths reported to Coroners in England and Wales in 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coroners-statistics-2025/coroners-statistics-2025-england-and-wales

Conclusions recorded at inquests by sex

Male deaths accounted for 64% of all conclusions recorded in 2025 while female deaths accounted for 36%. In 2024, the percentages were 63% and 37% respectively.

The pattern of conclusions recorded differs between males and females. Males accounted for 61% of deaths reported but 64% of all conclusions recorded in 2025. Correspondingly, female deaths accounted for 36% of all conclusions recorded in 2025 (and 39% 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, at 93%; lack of care or self-neglect had the highest proportion of inquests relating to females, at 50%.

Dr Martin Harris

Private GP in London and expert for medical legal reports and qualified Medical Examiner RCPathME

The post Conclusions recorded at inquests by sex appeared first on Private GP in London.

Dr Martin Harris

The annual publication presents statistics of deaths reported to Coroners in England and Wales in 2025.

 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coroners-statistics-2025/coroners-statistics-2025-england-and-wales

1% decrease in inquest conclusions recorded, with the largest decrease seen in natural causes.

In 2025, 39,118 inquest conclusions were recorded, down 1% on 2024. Inquest conclusions of natural causes had the largest decrease, down 24% on 2024, to 3,729, and, excluding unclassified conclusions, road traffic collision had the largest increase, up 3% on 2024, to 978.

There were 39,118 inquest conclusions recorded in 2025, down 468 (1%) from 2024, in part reflecting the decrease in the number of inquests opened. This is the lowest level since 2022. The decrease was driven by conclusions for female deaths (down 4%). Conclusions for male deaths remained stable. Of the inquests concluded 6,448 were inquests in writing, up 2,060 (47%) from 2024, and 18,048 were rule 23 inquests (when written evidence is admitted at an inquest hearing in lieu of oral evidence).

Conclusions are recorded at the culmination of the inquest. This means that the conclusions recorded in a certain year may relate to deaths that occurred in the same year or in earlier years.

In 2025, the most common short form conclusions (by order of frequency) were death by misadventure (9,724 or 25% of all conclusions), suicide (5,298 or 14%) and drugs and alcohol (4,659 or 12%).

The number of suicide conclusions increased by 1% compared to 2024. The increase was driven by male suicides (up 3% compared with 2024), while female suicides decreased (down 4% compared with 2024). The proportion of conclusions recorded as suicide has remained broadly constant over the past eight years, with an increase from 13% of all conclusions in 2024 to 14% in 2025. This proportion varies from 3% in City of London to 36% in Ceredigion.

Industrial disease conclusions fell by 5% in the last year (to 1,828 cases), the lowest level since 1996.

In 2025, natural cause conclusions decreased by 24% to 3,729, possibly due to the effect of the statutory medical examiner system introduced in September 2024, which is designed to ensure that deaths are scrutinsed, certified and where necessary investigated in the appropriate part of the death management system.

In 2025, the number of unclassified conclusions increased by 848 cases (up 8%) to 11,686. Unclassified conclusions made up 30% of all inquest conclusions in 2025, an increase in proportion by two percentage points compared with the 2024 amount. 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. Self-Induced Abortion, Want of Attention at Birth and Disaster conclusions are included in the Unclassified conclusions figure.

For the remaining short-form conclusion types, alcohol/drugs related deaths decreased by 32 cases (down 1%) to 4,659, ending the rising trend seen since the conclusion type was introduced in 2014. Road traffic collisions increased by 25 cases (up 3%) to 978.

Open conclusions have decreased over the last decade – they accounted for 3% of all inquests concluded in 2025 compared with 5% in 2015. Year on year, open conclusions decreased by 5% compared with 2024.

Dr Martin Harris

Private GP in London and expert for medical legal reports and qualified Medical Examiner RCPathME

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The post 2% decrease in inquests opened of all deaths reported to coroners in 2025 appeared first on Private GP in London.

Dr Martin Harris

The annual publication presents statistics of deaths reported to Coroners in England and Wales in 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coroners-statistics-2025/coroners-statistics-2025-england-and-wales

A post-mortem is a detailed examination of a body after death to establish the medical cause of death. A coroner may commission a post-mortem examination, whether or not an inquest is held, particularly if the cause of death is not clear. A post-mortem examination is conducted in order to determine whether or not a coroner investigation is should be commenced or, where an investigation is commenced, a post-mortem can have important evidential relevance and can be used to inform whether or not the case can be discontinued before inquest.

Post-mortem examinations (including invasive and less-invasive forms) were held in 75,852 deaths reported to coroners in 2025, down 5,333 (7%) from 2024. This represents 51% of all deaths reported to coroners in 2025, an increase in proportion of five percentage points on the 2024 volume.

Depending on the nature of a post-mortem examinations, it may require specialist skills – for example, a paediatric or other specialist pathologist. In 2025, almost all (92%) of post-mortem examinations did not require specialist skills – a decrease of less than one percentage point compared with 2024.

The number of post-mortem examinations as a proportion of area caseload varies from 24% of deaths reported in City of London to 74% in Surrey. 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 – due to differences in size, local authority set-up, resource, facilities and socio-economic profile, for example.

Cases requiring neither a post-mortem nor inquest

There were 52,036 deaths reported to coroners where there was neither a post-mortem nor an inquest. These 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 29% in the current year and the number of cases reported was 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 seven percentage points to 35% in 2025.

Histology, toxicology and less-invasive post-mortem examinations

In 2025, 21% (15,931) of all post-mortem examinations included histology, an increase from 20% (16,604) in 2024. Post-mortem examinations including toxicology increased by 231 cases over the same period to 23,063 (up 1%), with 30% of all post-mortem examinations held in 2025 including toxicology – continuing the consistently rising trend since the timeseries begun in 2011.

There were 16,705 post-mortem examinations conducted using less-invasive techniques alongside an autopsy or other invasive intervention, and 6,717 using only less-invasive techniques (such as Computerised Tomography [CT] scans) in 2025. The number of post-mortem examinations carried out using only less-invasive techniques varied from zero in 18 areas to 1,097 in Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen. East London, Leicester City and South Leicestershire, Black Country, South Yorkshire (Eastern), and Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen conducted over half (52%, 57%, 75%, 79% and 86% respectively) of all their post-mortem examinations using only less-invasive techniques. Manchester South, South Yorkshire (Western), and Manchester City conducted over a quarter of all their post-mortem examinations using only less-invasive techniques (26%, 27% and 36% respectively).

Additionally, four “second” post-mortem examinations were ordered by the coroner but as a result of a request from a defence lawyer (less than 1% of all post-mortems) and 3% (2,271) of post-mortem examinations were conducted by a Home Office (HO) forensic pathologist. These would usually be carried out in relation to a criminal investigation.

Dr Martin Harris

Private GP in London and expert for medical legal reports and qualified Medical Examiner RCPathME

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Dr Martin Harris

https://private-gp-in-london.co.uk/

The annual publication presents statistics of deaths reported to Coroners in England and Wales in 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coroners-statistics-2025/coroners-statistics-2025-england-and-wales

Deaths in state detention (including those released from custody within 7 days and residents of probation-approved schemes) reported to coroners increased by 13% to 622 in 2025, driven by a rise in the number of deaths which occurred in prison custody and Mental Health Act detention.

In England and Wales, all deaths in custody and state detention are reported to coroners and must have an inquest, including where the death is suspected to be from natural causes. This includes deaths in prison and police custody, Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs), Mental Health Act detention, Secure Training Centres and Local Authority Secure Children’s Homes, and deaths when on Release on Temporary License (ROTL). These figures also include some deaths of those released from custody within the last 7 days and residents of probation-approved premises, although these do not always have to be reported to the coroner.

In 2025, a total of 622 deaths which occurred in state detention were reported to coroners; an increase of 73 deaths (13%) on the previous year and representing less than 1% of all deaths reported to coroners.

There were 183 reported deaths of individuals subject to Mental Health Act Detention in 2025, a 21% increase (32 cases) compared with 2024. The Care Quality Commission reported 253 deaths under the Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended) financial year 2024/25, up 12% on the number they reported in 2023/24 (225 deaths).

The number of deaths in prison custody reported to coroners increased by 8% (30 cases) compared with 2024, to 392 deaths in 2025. His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) reported 394 deaths in prison custody in 2025 (Safety in Custody Statistics, up 15% on the number they reported in 2024 (342 deaths). The deaths in prison custody reported by coroners (392) have been cross-referenced to deaths in prison custody recorded on the HMPPS database (394) in order to ensure consistency between these two sources. The difference in the two sources 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. For more detailed information on prison custody deaths please see the Safety in Custody Statistics publication. Police custody cases increased by 7, to 23 deaths.

Dr Martin Harris Private GP in London and expert for medical legal reports and qualified Medical Examiner RCPathME

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