## Statistics On Deaths Reported To Coroners England And Wales, 2009

 Ministry of Justice Statistics bulletin 
 
 
Published May 2010 

# Statistics On Deaths Reported To Coroners England And Wales, 2009

 Ministry of Justice Statistics bulletin Also available on the Ministry of Justice website at 
 
www.justice.gov.uk/publications/coronersannual.htm 

## Executive Summary

This bulletin presents statistics of coroners' work during the calendar year 2009, including deaths reported, post-mortems, and inquests (including those for treasure and treasure trove). These figures are used to monitor coroners' workload, throughput of cases, and percentages of post-mortems and inquests. 

## Main Points

  Some 229,900 deaths were reported to coroners in 2009, a fall of 4,900 
(2.1 per cent) from the 2008 figure. (Tables 1,2, and 3) 


  The proportion of all registered deaths reported to coroners remained at 
an estimated1 46 per cent in 2009, the same as in 2008. This 
percentage has been relatively consistent over for the last few years.  
(Table 2) 
 
 
  The percentage of cases involving post-mortem examinations, as a 
proportion of all deaths reported to coroners, fell slightly from just above 
46 per cent in 2008 to just below in 2009, continuing the existing downward trend. (Table 3) 
 
 
  Inquests were opened on 31,000 deaths, representing over 13 per cent 
of all deaths reported to coroners, a little higher than the percentage in 2008. (Table 3) 
 
 
  As in recent years, the most common verdicts returned at inquests were 
death by accident or misadventure (in 29 per cent of cases), and deaths from natural causes (28 per cent). (Tables 4 and 6) 
 
 
  Verdicts of suicide rose by one per cent in 2009 compared to the 
previous year; there were also rises in the number of verdicts of death by 
accident or misadventure, from natural causes, from industrial diseases, and open verdicts.  There was also a large rise in the number of non­ specific verdicts, a category which includes narrative verdicts which are a factual record of how and in what circumstances the death occurred; 
often used where the cause of death does not easily fit any of the standard verdicts. (Table 6) 
 
 The estimated2 average time taken to process an inquest in 2009 
(defined as being from the time the death was reported until the 
conclusion of the inquest, where the death occurred in England and Wales) was 26 weeks, the same as in 2008. (Table 7) 
 
                                            

## Introduction And Important Note On Counting Methodology

This bulletin presents statistics of deaths reported to coroners in England and Wales in 2009 in accordance with section 28 of the Coroners Act 1988.  
Information is provided on deaths reported to coroners, post-mortem examinations and inquests held, and verdicts returned at inquests. Since 1995, coroners have been asked to report on those deaths notified to them which resulted in no further action being taken by them (known as "NFA cases"), that is, there was no inquest, no post-mortem, and no certificate was issued by them for registration purposes. 

Prior to 1995, however, NFA cases were not reported in the annual statistics. It should be noted therefore that in Tables 2 and 3, which show figures over a number of years, figures for the total number of deaths reported to coroners since 1995 are not directly comparable to those for earlier years, as they have been counted on a different basis. Because of differences between coroners as to how these NFA cases were reported in their figures, since 2005 all coroners have been asked to include these cases within the figures for all deaths reported that required neither an inquest nor a post-mortem, with separate figures for NFA cases only if the sex of the deceased was not known. A consistent time series for deaths reported excluding NFA cases is therefore not available. 

## Deaths Reported (Tables 1, 2 And 3, Figures 1 And 2)

The number of deaths reported to coroners in 2009 fell by 4,900 (2.1 per cent) from the previous year, from 234,800 in 2008 to 229,900 during 2009, the lowest annual total since 2004. The proportion of registered deaths in the calendar year 2009 that were reported to coroners in 2009 remained at an estimated 46 per cent, the same level as in 2008. This percentage has been relatively consistent for the last few years. Until the last few years, the long-term trend in the number and proportion of deaths reported, was upwards. Since the Shipman murders came to light about a decade ago, there has been more concern about proper process. In the longer term, this rise is probably also due in part to the growing use, over at least the last twenty years, of deputising services by general practitioners, leading to a greater number of referrals to coroners. 

## Post-Mortem Examinations Held And Inquests Opened (Tables 1, 2, And 3, Figures 3A And 3B)

Post-mortem examinations were ordered by coroners in 46 per cent of all cases reported to them in 2009, a very slight fall compared to 2008 and continues the existing downward trend. The actual number of deaths reported to coroners in 2009 where a post­ mortem was held was 105,400, some 3,000 fewer than in the year before, reflecting in part the overall decrease in reported deaths. Inquests were opened on 31,000 deaths reported to coroners in 2009, just 
22 fewer than in 2008.  Inquest cases represented more than 13 per cent of 
 
all the deaths reported to coroners in 2009, a slightly higher proportion of the total than in the previous year. 

## Post-Mortems In Inquest Cases (Table 3)

When an inquest is held a post-mortem examination has usually been conducted, and in 2009 post-mortems were conducted in 91 per cent of such cases. This is a slightly lower proportion than in the previous year, and continues a shallow declining trend over the past decade or so.  Prior to the late 1990s, the holding of an inquest without a post-mortem examination was comparatively rare, accounting for around 2 per cent or less of inquest cases every year. In 2009 there were nearly 2,800 inquests without a post­
mortem, nearly six times the number so reported ten years ago. 

## Post-Mortems In Non-Inquest Cases (Table 3)

In the majority of cases referred to coroners there is no inquest.  In 2009, there were some 77,100 non-inquest cases where a post-mortem was held, and the percentage of non-inquest cases that required a post-mortem fell to just below 39 per cent. This proportion has fallen steadily in recent years; in 1995 it was 56 per cent of all non-inquest cases.   

## Cases Requiring Neither An Inquest Nor A Post-Mortem (Table 3)

There were also 122,000 cases reported to coroners where there was neither an inquest nor a post-mortem. This particular category of case has generally been increasing in number in recent years.  In addition, those cases where there was neither an inquest nor a post-mortem examination have increased, as a proportion of all coroners' cases, from around 40 per cent or just above in the late 1990s, to 53 per cent in 2009. 

 

## Inquest Verdicts Returned (Tables 4, 5 And 6, Figures 4, 5 And 6)

Verdicts were returned at some 29,800 inquests in 2009, nearly 800 more than in 2008. As in previous years the most common verdicts in 2009 were death by accident or misadventure (8,700, 29 per cent of all verdicts) and  
deaths from natural causes (8,300, 28 per cent).  Unclassified verdicts, which category includes narrative verdicts, represented 13 per cent of the total, and verdicts of suicide comprised 11 per cent in 2009. There were increases in the numbers of verdicts in many categories over the past year, including: 

 
  A 14 per cent rise in non-specific or unclassified verdicts, up 460 to 
nearly 3,800; 
 
  a 10 per cent rise in the number of deaths by natural causes (up 725 
to 8,300) 
 
  a 6 per cent rise in the number of verdicts of death from industrial 
disease, up 150 to 2,600. 
The rise in unclassified verdicts is at least in part due to the increasing use of what are known as 'narrative verdicts' by some coroners (see the paragraph on trends, below). A narrative verdict is where, instead of a conventional verdict, at the end of the inquest the coroner records a factual record of how and in what circumstances the death occurred.  Recent case law may be responsible for the increased number of narrative verdicts in recent years, including the House of Lords Middleton3 judgement which encouraged their use. The number of verdicts of death from accident or misadventure returned in 
2009 fell from 9,200 to 8,700, a drop of 6 per cent.  There was also a fall of 50 (8 per cent) in verdicts relating to drug-related death. 

## Trends (Table 5 And Figure 4)

Verdicts of death from natural causes are tending to rise steadily, and there is also a steady and steeper rise in the number of unclassified, including narrative, verdicts. There is a long-term downward trend in the numbers of verdicts of suicide, though there are fluctuations within that trend, including a rise in the number of such verdicts in 2008 compared to 2007. As a *proportion* of verdicts delivered by coroners during a calendar year, there are five main trends, two rising, and three falling: 

 
  Verdicts of natural causes have risen from 12 per cent in 1994 to around 
28 per cent in 2009. 
                                            

 
  Non-specific verdicts (which include narrative verdicts, as explained 
above) formed fewer than one per cent of the total until 2001, but 
accounted for more than one in every eight verdicts in 2009. 
 
  Verdicts of deaths by accident or misadventure have been declining, 
from 47 per cent of verdicts returned in 1994 to 29 per cent in 2009. 
 
  Suicide verdicts have been declining slowly over the same period, from 
18 per cent in 1994 to around 11 per cent in 2009. 
 
  Open verdicts have been falling in percentage terms in the last few 
years, from around 11 per cent in the mid-1990s to less than 8 per cent 
in 2009. 

## Gender Differences (Table 4, Figures 5 And 6)

The pattern of verdicts differs between males and females.  Male deaths accounted for about 69 per cent of all verdicts returned in 2009; but they also included  

  92 per cent of verdicts of death from industrial disease;  
 
  78 per cent of verdicts of suicide, and 
  84 per cent of verdicts of death from dependence on, or nondependent abuse of, drugs. 
For females, the most common verdicts were   

 
  death by accident or misadventure (36 per cent of all female 
verdicts) 
 death from natural causes (36 per cent). 
 
These proportions were all similar to those in recent years.  Females also accounted for a relatively high percentage of unclassified or narrative verdicts (39 per cent). 

## Age Of Deceased In Inquests Where A Verdict Was Returned (Table 5)

From 2008, coroners were asked to provide information (in summary form) 
on the ages of persons whose deaths proceeded to inquest and a verdict was returned during the year. Nearly 44 per cent of completed inquests in 
2009 were on persons who were 65 years of age or more at death.  Less than 10 per cent of inquests concluded were into deaths of persons aged under 25. There were only ten cases in 2009 where the age of the deceased was either not known or could not be readily provided.  

## Inquests With Juries, And Adjourned Inquests (Table 7)

Nearly all inquests concluded in 2009, as in other years, were held without juries. The number of inquests held with juries in 2009 was 470 
(representing under 2 per cent of all inquests), a modest fall of about 20 
compared to 2008. Both the number and proportion of inquests held with juries have shown a downward trend in recent years; the proportion of inquests held with juries has fallen from 3.6 per cent of inquests concluded in 1999 to just under 2 per cent in 2009.. Around 920 inquests were adjourned by the coroner under Section 16 of the Coroners Act 1988 because criminal proceedings took place, and subsequently not resumed. This is comparable with the level generally prevailing in recent years. 

## Time Taken To Process An Inquest (Table 7)

The estimated average time taken to process an inquest in 2009 (defined as being from the time the death was reported until the conclusion of the inquest) was 26 weeks to the nearest whole week, the same as in 2007 and 2008. 

      
   
This period has slightly increased since the present system of estimating this average was introduced in 2004, when it was 22 weeks. Only deaths occurring within England and Wales are included in this estimation. 

## Treasure And Treasure Trove (Table 8 And Figure 7)

On 24 September 1997, the Treasure Act 1996 came into force and replaced the common law of Treasure Trove in England and Wales.  The 
1996 Act introduced new requirements for reporting and dealing with finds. Not all finds need be the subject of an inquest. In 2009, 624 finds were reported and 307 inquests were concluded, from which a verdict declaring a find to be Treasure was returned in 289 cases. There were also three inquests held into Treasure Trove in 2009, relating to finds made before the current Act came into force.  It is likely that a few such inquests will continue to be held for some time. 

The number of finds reported has been steadily increasing in recent years; this is probably because of the increasing popularity of treasure-hunting as a hobby. The dip in reported finds in 2001 is almost certainly due to the foot-and-mouth outbreak, which severely restricted access to land during the spring of that year. An annual report on the operation of the Treasure Act 1996 is published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. 

## Map Of Coroner Jurisdictions In England And Wales - Key To Jurisdictions

0 - Avon 1 - Bedfordshire and Luton 
2 - Berkshire 3 - Birmingham and Solihull 4 - Black Country 5 - Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley 6 - Blackpool/Fylde 7 - Boston and Spalding 8 - Bournemouth, Poole and Eastern Dorset 9 - Bridgend and Glamorgan Valleys 10 - Brighton and Hove 11 - Buckinghamshire 12 - Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan 
13 - Carmarthenshire 
14 - Central Hampshire 15 - Central North Wales 16 - Central and South East Kent 17 - Ceredigion 18 - Cheshire 19 - City and County of Swansea [20 - City of London - not visible] 21 - Cornwall 22 - Coventry 23 - Darlington and South Durham 24 - Derby and South Derbyshire 25 - East Lancashire 26 - East London 27 - East Riding and Hull 28 - East Sussex 29 - Eastern Somerset 30 - Essex and Thurrock 31 - Exeter and Greater Devon 32 - Gateshead and South Tyneside 33 - Gloucestershire 34 - Great Yarmouth 
35 - Greater Norfolk 36 - Gwent 37 - Hartlepool 38 - Herefordshire 39 - Hertfordshire 40 - Inner North London 41 - Inner South London 42 - Inner West London 43 - Isle of Wight 44 - Isles of Scilly 45 - Leicester city and South Leicestershire 46 - Liverpool 47 - Manchester North 48 - Manchester South 49 - Manchester West 50 - Manchester city 51 - Mid Kent and Medway 52 - Mid and North Shropshire 53 - Milton Keynes 54 - Neath and Port Talbot 55 - Newcastle upon Tyne 56 - North Derbyshire 57 - North Durham 58 - North East Hampshire 
59 - North East Kent 60 - North East Wales 
61 - North Lincolnshire and Grimsby 62 - North London 63 - North Northumberland 64 - North Tyneside 65 - North West Kent 66 - North West Wales 67 - North Yorkshire Eastern District 68 - North Yorkshire Western District 69 - North and East Cambridgeshire 70 - North and West Cumbria 71 - Northamptonshire 
72 - Nottinghamshire 
73 - Oxfordshire 74 - Pembrokeshire 75 - Peterborough 76 - Plymouth and South West Devon 77 - Portsmouth and South East Hampshire 78 - Powys 79 - Preston and West Lancashire 80 - Rutland and North Leicestershire 81 - Sefton, Knowsley and St Helens 82 - South London 83 - South Northumberland 84 - South Shropshire 85 - South Yorkshire Eastern District 86 - South Yorkshire Western District 87 - South and East Cumbria 88 - South and West Cambridgeshire 89 - Southampton and New Forest 90 - Southend-on-Sea 91 - Spilsby and Louth 92 - Staffordshire South 93 - Stamford 
94 - Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire 95 - Suffolk 96 - Sunderland 97 - Surrey 98 - Teesside 99 - Telford and Wrekin 100 - Torbay and South Devon 101 - Warwickshire 102 - West Lincolnshire 103 - West London 104 - West Sussex 105 - West Yorkshire Eastern District 106 - West Yorkshire Western District 107 - Western Dorset 108 - Western Somerset 109 - Wiltshire and Swindon 110 - Wirral 111 - Wolverhampton 112 - Worcestershire 113 - York city 

## Tables

Table 1.  
Deaths reported to coroners, 2009  
 
Table 2.  
Registered deaths, deaths reported to coroners, and inquests  
opened, 1950-2009  
 
Table 3.  
Deaths reported to coroners, post-mortem examinations held  
and inquests opened, 1995-2009  
Table 4.  
Inquest verdicts returned, 2009  
 
 
Table 5.  
Age of deceased in inquests where a verdict was returned,  
2009  
Table 6.  
Inquest verdicts returned, 1995-2009  
 
 
Table 7.  
Inquests concluded which were held with juries and inquests  
adjourned; High Court orders and exhumations, 1995-2009  
Table 8.  
Treasure inquests, 1995-2009  
 
 
Table 9.  
Reported deaths, post-mortems and inquests by jurisdiction,  
2009, and comparison with 2008  
Table 10.  
Inquest verdicts returned, by jurisdiction, 2009 

England and Wales 
Number of reported deaths 
Males 
Females 
Total 
Total deaths reported to coroners, 2009 (1)(2) 
122,956 
105,853 
229,883 
Inquests Deaths reported where an inquest was opened Deaths reported where no inquest occurred (1)(2) 
21,167 
101,789 
9,810 
96,043 
30,977 
198,906 
Post-mortem examinations Deaths reported where a post-mortem took place Deaths reported without a post-mortem (1)(2) 
63,283 
59,673 
42,071 
63,782 
105,354 
124,529 

(1) This row includes deaths referred to the coroner where no certificate of any kind was issued ("no further action" cases). 

(2) The **total** column includes "no further action" cases which could not be categorized into males and females. 


| England and Wales           | Thousands and percentages    |
|-----------------------------|------------------------------|
| Deaths reported to coroners | Inquests opened              |
| Registered                  |                              |
|                             |                              |
|                             |                              |
| Number                      |                              |
| (thousands)                 |                              |
| Year                        |                              |
| deaths                      |                              |
| (thousands)                 |                              |
| Number                      |                              |
| (thousands) (1)             |                              |
| As a percentage of          |                              |
| deaths reported to          |                              |
| coroners (1)                |                              |
| As a percentage             |                              |
| of registered               |                              |
| deaths                      |                              |
| 30.9%                       |                              |
| 26.0%                       |                              |
| 18.7%                       |                              |
| 13.6%                       |                              |
| 12.3%                       |                              |
| 25.8                        |                              |
| 26.3                        |                              |
| 24.9                        |                              |
| 23.1                        |                              |
| 22.1                        |                              |
| 16.4%                       |                              |
| 19.2%                       |                              |
| 23.2%                       |                              |
| 29.3%                       |                              |
| 31.9%                       |                              |
| 83.6                        |                              |
| 101.1                       |                              |
| 133.4                       |                              |
| 170.2                       |                              |
| 180.1                       |                              |
| 510.3                       |                              |
| 526.3                       |                              |
| 575.2                       |                              |
| 581.4                       |                              |
| 564.8                       |                              |
| 1950                        |                              |
| 1960                        |                              |
| 1970                        |                              |
| 1980                        |                              |
| 1990                        |                              |
| 36.8%                       |                              |
| 37.8%                       |                              |
| 37.4%                       |                              |
| 38.2%                       |                              |
| 39.8%                       |                              |
| 22.7                        |                              |
| 22.3                        |                              |
| 22.7                        |                              |
| 23.6                        |                              |
| 24.4                        |                              |
| 10.9%                       |                              |
| 10.5%                       |                              |
| 10.9%                       |                              |
| 11.1%                       |                              |
| 11.1%                       |                              |
| 208.5                       |                              |
| 212.6                       |                              |
| 208.6                       |                              |
| 211.4                       |                              |
| 220.2                       |                              |
| 1995                        |                              |
| 1996                        |                              |
| 1997                        |                              |
| 1998                        |                              |
| 1999                        |                              |
| 565.9                       |                              |
| 563.0                       |                              |
| 558.1                       |                              |
| 553.4                       |                              |
| 553.5                       |                              |
| 2000                        |                              |
| 2001                        |                              |
| 2002                        |                              |
| 2003                        |                              |
| 2004                        |                              |
| 537.9                       |                              |
| 532.5                       |                              |
| 535.4                       |                              |
| 539.2                       |                              |
| 514.3                       |                              |
| 218.1                       |                              |
| 224.3                       |                              |
| 225.0                       |                              |
| 227.8                       |                              |
| 225.5                       |                              |
| 40.5%                       |                              |
| 42.1%                       |                              |
| 42.0%                       |                              |
| 42.2%                       |                              |
| 43.9%                       |                              |
| 24.9                        |                              |
| 25.8                        |                              |
| 26.4                        |                              |
| 27.1                        |                              |
| 28.3                        |                              |
| 11.4%                       |                              |
| 11.5%                       |                              |
| 11.7%                       |                              |
| 11.9%                       |                              |
| 12.5%                       |                              |
| 2005                        |                              |
| 2006                        |                              |
| 2007                        |                              |
| 2008                        |                              |
| 2009                        |                              |
| 513.0                       |                              |
| 502.6                       |                              |
| 504.1                       |                              |
| 509.1                       |                              |
| 500.1 (2)                   |                              |
| 232.4                       |                              |
| 230.0                       |                              |
| 234.5                       |                              |
| 234.8                       |                              |
| 229.9                       |                              |
| 45.3%                       |                              |
| 45.8%                       |                              |
| 46.5%                       |                              |
| 46.1%                       |                              |
| 46.0%                       |                              |
| 29.3                        |                              |
| 29.3                        |                              |
| 30.8                        |                              |
| 31.0                        |                              |
| 31.0                        |                              |
| 12.6%                       |                              |
| 12.8%                       |                              |
| 13.2%                       |                              |
| 13.2%                       |                              |
| 13.5%                       |                              |



(1) 'NFA' cases are deaths notified to coroners which required neither an inquest nor a post-mortem, and where no certificate of any kind was issued.  From 1995 onwards all 'NFA' cases have been included in the number of reported deaths.  Prior to that, these cases were excluded. Figures for 1995 onwards are therefore not directly comparable to those for previous years. 



(2) Statistics on the number of registered deaths in England and Wales are published by the Office for National Statistics. 

However, the total number of registered deaths in 2009 is not yet available and has been estimated for the purposes of this table; see Explanatory Notes for more information. 

 
England and Wales 
Numbers and percentages 
Inquest opened 
No inquest opened 
Post-mortems 
Post-mortem 
examination held 
No post-mortem 
held 
Post-mortem 
examination held 
No post-mortem 
held 
 
Total 
deaths 
reported 
inc. NFA 
Total noninquest 
cases, inc. 
NFA 
% of 
deaths 
reported 
(1) 


% of 
deaths 
reported 
(1) 
Year 
Total 
inquests 
opened 
Total postmortems 
held 
Number 
% of 
inquest 
cases 
Number 
% of 
inquest 
cases 
Number 
% of noninquest 
cases (1) 


% of noninquest 
cases (1) 
Number, 
inc. NFA 
1995 
22,247 
98.1% 
423 
1.9% 
22,670 
10.9% 
104,151 
56.0% 
81,701 
44.0% 
185,852 
126,398 
60.6% 
208,522 
1996 
21,863 
98.0% 
455 
2.0% 
22,318 
10.5% 
104,321 
54.8% 
85,945 
45.2% 
190,266 
126,184 
59.4% 
212,584 
1997 
22,336 
98.4% 
367 
1.6% 
22,703 
10.9% 
100,679 
54.2% 
85,196 
45.8% 
185,875 
123,015 
59.0% 
208,578 
1998 
23,191 
98.4% 
377 
1.6% 
23,568 
11.1% 
101,165 
53.8% 
86,700 
46.2% 
187,865 
124,356 
58.8% 
211,433 
1999 
23,896 
98.0% 
479 
2.0% 
24,375 
11.1% 
100,884 
51.5% 
94,917 
48.5% 
195,801 
124,780 
56.7% 
220,176 
2000 
24,117 
97.0% 
740 
3.0% 
24,857 
11.4% 
100,419 
52.0% 
92,816 
48.0% 
193,235 
124,536 
57.1% 
218,092 
2001 
24,617 
95.4% 
1,176 
4.6% 
25,793 
11.5% 
96,495 
48.6% 
101,998 
51.4% 
198,493 
121,112 
54.0% 
224,286 
2002 
25,363 
96.0% 
1,067 
4.0% 
26,430 
11.7% 
92,321 
46.5% 
106,248 
53.5% 
198,569 
117,684 
52.3% 
224,999 
2003 
25,754 
95.0% 
1,359 
5.0% 
27,113 
11.9% 
93,856 
46.8% 
106,821 
53.2% 
200,677 
119,610 
52.5% 
227,790 
2004 
26,618 
94.1% 
1,656 
5.9% 
28,274 
12.5% 
89,155 
45.2% 
108,082 
54.8% 
197,237 
115,773 
51.3% 
225,511 
2005 
27,537 
94.1% 
1,734 
5.9% 
29,271 
12.6% 
87,083 
42.9% 
116,047 
57.1% 
203,130 
114,620 
49.3% 
232,401 
2006 
27,305 
93.1% 
2,022 
6.9% 
29,327 
12.8% 
82,919 
41.3% 
117,761 
58.7% 
200,680 
110,224 
47.9% 
230,007 
2007 
28,510 
92.4% 
2,331 
7.6% 
30,841 
13.2% 
81,850 
40.2% 
121,767 
59.8% 
203,617 
110,360 
47.1% 
234,458 
2008 
28,518 
92.0% 
2,481 
8.0% 
30,999 
13.2% 
79,842 
39.2% 
123,943 
60.8% 
203,785 
108,360 
46.2% 
234,784 
2009 
28,213 
91.1% 
2,764 
8.9% 
30,977 
13.5% 
77,141 
38.8% 
121,765 
61.2% 
198,906 
105,354 
45.8% 
229,883 

(1) Percentages shown are of deaths reported including "no further action" (NFA) cases.  NFA cases are deaths notified to coroners which required neither an inquest nor a post-mortem, and where no certificate of any kind was issued.  From 1995 onwards all 'NFA' cases have been included in the number of reported deaths.  Prior to that, these cases were excluded.  There are therefore no directly comparable figures for the total number of reported deaths including 'NFA' cases prior to 1995. 


England and Wales 
Number of verdicts returned 
Verdict 
Males 
Females 
Total 
Homicide, of which: 
killed unlawfully 
156 
66 
222 
killed lawfully 
4 
1 
5 
Suicide 
2,596 
734 
3,330 
Attempted or self-induced abortion 
-
-
-
Cause of death aggravated by lack of care, or self-neglect 
26 
10 
36 
Dependence on drugs 
260 
56 
316 
Non-dependent abuse of drugs 
216 
34 
250 
Want of attention at birth 
1 
-
1 
Death from industrial diseases 
2,425 
198 
2,623 
Death by accident or misadventure 
5,585 
3,088 
8,673 
Stillborn 
5 
2 
7 
Deaths from natural causes 
5,280 
3,001 
8,281 
Open verdicts 
1,583 
657 
2,240 
Disasters 
-
-
-
All other verdicts 
2,321 
1,476 
3,797 
                     
                       
                     
                         
                         
                         
                  
                     
                  
                         
                         
                         
 
                       
                       
                       
                     
                       
                     
                     
                       
                     
                         
                         
                         
                  
                     
                  
                  
                  
                  
                         
                         
                         
                  
                  
                  
                  
                     
                  
                         
                         
                         
                  
                  
                  
Total verdicts returned, 2009 
20,458 
9,323 
29,781 
                
                  
                
England and Wales 
Number and percentage 
 
Number of 
As a % of total 
Age of deceased at time of death 
inquest verdicts 
verdicts 
returned, 2008 
returned 
Under 1 year 
659 
2.2% 
1 to 14 years 
428 
1.4% 
15 to 24 years 
1,672 
5.6% 
25 to 44 years 
6,469 
21.7% 
45 to 64 years 
7,491 
25.2% 
65 years and over 
13,052 
43.8% 
Age not known or could not be readily provided 
10 
0.0% 
Total verdicts returned, 2009 
29,781 
100.0% 

 

England and Wales 
Number of verdicts returned 
 
Verdict 
1995 
1996 
1997 
1998 
1999 
2000 
2001 
2002 
2003 
2004 
2005 
2006 
2007 
2008 
2009 
Homicide, of which: 
killed unlawfully 
217 
169 
165 
142 
167 
178 
192 
177 
182 
206 
248 
223 
257 
263 
222 
killed lawfully 
6 
1 
2 
3 
2 
4 
2 
6 
1 
5 
4 
2 
2 
2 
5 
Suicide 
3,579 
3,399 
3,355 
3,756 
3,693 
3,626 
3,389 
3,242 
3,255 
3,368 
3,235 
3,220 
3,007 
3,305 
3,330 
Attempted or self-induced
 
abortion
 
Cause of death aggravated by lack 
 
-
35 
-
59 
-
59 
-
47 
-
44 
-
33 
-
43 
-
46 
-
50 
-
51 
1 
27 
-
30 
-
35 
-
35 
0 
36 
 
 
of care, or self-neglect Dependence on drugs 
139 
156 
177 
258 
289 
323 
309 
294 
248 
280 
299 
328 
324 
343 
316 


Non-dependent abuse of drugs 
162 
199 
220 
237 
284 
282 
313 
260 
254 
269 
261 
268 
276 
274 
250 
Want of attention
 
at birth
 
9
 
5
 
4
 
5
 
1
 
4
 
6
 
1
 
4
 
3
 
2
 
3
 -
1
 
1
 
Death from industrial diseases 
1,878 
1,784 
1,836 
2,091 
2,373 
2,591 
2,661 
2,653 
2,403 
2,571 
2,567 
2,496 
2,332 
2,474 
2,623 
Death by accident or misadventure 
9,142 
9,286 
9,646 
9,199 
9,558 
9,796 
9,882 
9,379 
9,594 
9,420 
9,498 
9,353 
8,930 
9,230 
8,673 
Stillborn
 
8
 
6
 
6
 
12
 
4
 
4
 
8
 
3
 
10
 
11
 
10
 
12
 
21
 
13
 
7
 
Deaths from natural causes 
2,483 
2,498 
2,756 
2,852 
3,306 
3,642 
4,068 
4,334 
4,766 
5,296 
6,175 
6,828 
7,011 
7,556 
8,281 
Open verdicts 
2,257 
2,151 
2,319 
2,571 
2,509 
2,449 
2,519 
2,445 
2,619 
2,600 
2,531 
2,378 
2,242 
2,167 
2,240 
Disasters
 
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2
 
4
 
-
-
-
0
 
All other verdicts 
136 
142 
154 
160 
119 
156 
225 
583 
873 
1,412 
1,952 
2,406 
2,923 
3,333 
3,797 
 
Total verdicts returned 
20,051 
19,855 
20,699 
21,333 
22,349 
23,088 
23,617 
23,423 
24,259 
25,494 
26,814 
27,547 
27,360 
28,996 
29,781 

 

        
estimated average time taken to process inquests, 2004-2009(1) 
England and Wales 
Number 
 
Juries 
Verdicts / adjournments
Estimated 
average time 
to process an 
inquest 
(weeks)(1) 
 
 
Inquisitions 
quashed or 
amended by 
the High 
Court 
 
Inquests held 
by order of 
the High 
Court (2) 
 
 
Exhumations 
ordered by 
the coroner 
Total inquests 
concluded 
Year 
 Inquests 
without juries 
  


Inquests 
adjourned and 
not resumed 
% adjourned 
Inquests with 
juries 
% with juries 
Verdicts 
returned 
 
1995 
20,093 
857 
4.1% 
20,051 
899 
4.3% 
20,950 
n/a 
50 
2 
4 
1996
 
19,844
 
903
 
4.4%
 
19,855
 
892
 
4.3%
 
20,747
 
n/a
 
7
 
1
 
3
 
1997
 
20,774
 
774
 
3.6%
 
20,699
 
849
 
3.9%
 
21,548
 
n/a
 
3
 
2
 
1
 
1998
 
21,141
 
1,035
 
4.7%
 
21,333
 
843
 
3.8%
 
22,176
 
n/a
 
2
 
0
 
5
 
1999 
22,298 
823 
3.6% 
22,349 
772 
3.3% 
23,121 
n/a 
-
2 
2 
2000
 
23,243
 
824
 
3.4%
 
23,088
 
979
 
4.1%
 
24,067
 
n/a
 
1
 
1
 
7
 
2001
 
23,757
 
759
 
3.1%
 
23,617
 
899
 
3.7%
 
24,516
 
n/a
 
3
 
2
 
5
 
2002
 
23,859
 
687
 
2.8%
 
23,423
 
1,123
 
4.6%
 
24,546
 
n/a
 
2
 
1
 
3
 
2003
 
24,531
 
636
 
2.5%
 
24,259
 
908
 
3.6%
 
25,167
 
n/a
 
1
 
4
 
1
 
2004
 
25,869
 
568
 
2.1%
 
25,494
 
943
 
3.6%
 
26,437
 
22
 
1
 
1
 
2
 
2005
 
27,302
 
520
 
1.9%
 
26,814
 
1,008
 
3.6%
 
27,822
 
23
 
3
 
1
 
3
 
2006
 
27,934
 
569
 
2.0%
 
27,547
 
956
 
3.4%
 
28,503
 
24
 
2
 
2
 
2
 
2007
 
27,747
 
539
 
1.9%
 
27,360
 
926
 
3.3%
 
28,286
 
26
 
1
 
1
 
4
 
2008 
29,344 
485 
1.6% 
28,996 
833 
2.8% 
29,829 
26 
-
2 
1 
2009
 
30,239
 
466
 
1.5%
 
29,781
 
924
 
3.0%
 
30,705
 
26
 
1
 
1
 
2
 

(1) A direct average of the time taken to process an inquest cannot be calculated from the data collected; an estimate has been made instead.  Figures only relate to those inquests where the death occurred in England or Wales; figures are not collected on the time taken to process inquests where the death occurred elsewhere.  Please see Explanatory Notes for more information. Figures were collected on a different basis prior to 2004, and therefore comparable figures are not available. 

  

 


(2) The 1995 figure for inquests held by order of the High Court includes 48 inquests arising from the Marchioness pleasure boat disaster. 

| England and Wales    | Number             |
|----------------------|--------------------|
| Treasure Act 1996    | Treasure trove (1) |
|                      |                    |
|                      |                    |
|                      |                    |
|                      |                    |
| Year                 |                    |
| Number of            |                    |
| finds reported       |                    |
| Inquests held on     |                    |
| treasure trove       |                    |
| Number of            |                    |
| inquests             |                    |
| concluded            |                    |
| Verdicts of          |                    |
| treasure             |                    |
| returned             |                    |
| 1995                 |                    |
| 1996                 |                    |
| 1997                 |                    |
| 1998                 |                    |
| 1999                 |                    |
| n/a                  |                    |
| n/a                  |                    |
| 54                   |                    |
| 147                  |                    |
| 170                  |                    |
| n/a                  |                    |
| n/a                  |                    |
| 25                   |                    |
| 53                   |                    |
| 90                   |                    |
| n/a                  |                    |
| n/a                  |                    |
| 6                    |                    |
| 42                   |                    |
| 86                   |                    |
| 66                   |                    |
| 45                   |                    |
| 35                   |                    |
| 20                   |                    |
| 8                    |                    |
| 2000                 |                    |
| 2001                 |                    |
| 2002                 |                    |
| 2003                 |                    |
| 2004 (R)             |                    |
| 213                  |                    |
| 168                  |                    |
| 279                  |                    |
| 396                  |                    |
| 412                  |                    |
| 236                  |                    |
| 63                   |                    |
| 144                  |                    |
| 154                  |                    |
| 213                  |                    |
| 123                  |                    |
| 65                   |                    |
| 133                  |                    |
| 140                  |                    |
| 191                  |                    |
| 4                    |                    |
| 5                    |                    |
| 3                    |                    |
| 6                    |                    |
| 16                   |                    |
| 2005                 |                    |
| 2006                 |                    |
| 2007                 |                    |
| 2008                 |                    |
| 2009                 |                    |
| 432                  |                    |
| 444                  |                    |
| 595                  |                    |
| 610                  |                    |
| 624                  |                    |
| 253                  |                    |
| 252                  |                    |
| 273                  |                    |
| 286                  |                    |
| 307                  |                    |
| 228                  |                    |
| 217                  |                    |
| 229                  |                    |
| 270                  |                    |
| 289                  |                    |
| 7                    |                    |
| 12                   |                    |
| 13                   |                    |
| 9                    |                    |
| 3                    |                    |

(R) The figure for treasure inquests held by coroners in 2004 has been revised; see Explanatory Notes for more information. (1)  Relates to finds made before the commencement of the Treasure Act in September 1997 

 
2009 cases 
Inquests 
as % of 
rep. 
deaths 
2009 
 
 
Reported 
deaths 
2009, inc. 
NFA 
 
PMs as % 
of rep. 
deaths 
2009 


County / unitary authority or district 
 
Post­
Inquests 
2009 
mortems 
2009 
The Queen's Household 
0 
0 
n/a 
0 
n/a 
ENGLAND 
NORTH EAST 
DURHAM 
Darlington and South Durham North Durham 
HARTLEPOOL NORTHUMBERLAND 
North Northumberland 
South Northumberland 
TEESSIDE TYNE AND WEAR 
Gateshead and South Tyneside Newcastle upon Tyne North Tyneside Sunderland 
1,190 
618 
52% 
145 
1,313 
784 
60% 
249 
492 
240 
49% 
50 
12% 19% 10% 
730 
334 
46% 
154 
440 
300 
68% 
117 
2,618 
1,024 
39% 
307 
21% 
27% 12% 
1,945 
823 
42% 
188 
1,849 
736 
40% 
370 
832 
453 
54% 
226 
1,638 
617 
38% 
394 
10% 20% 27% 24% 
 
NORTH WEST 
CHESHIRE CUMBRIA 
South and East Cumbria North and West Cumbria 
GREATER MANCHESTER 
Manchester city Manchester North Manchester South Manchester West 
LANCASHIRE 
Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Blackpool/Fylde East Lancashire Preston and West Lancashire 
MERSEYSIDE 
Sefton, Knowsley and St Helens Liverpool Wirral 
5,130 
2,444 
48% 
799 
16% 
1,022 
642 
63% 
175 
1,267 
655 
52% 
175 
17% 14% 
3,136 
1,853 
59% 
783 
2,655 
914 
34% 
469 
3,106 
1,790 
58% 
585 
4,105 
1,922 
47% 
586 
25% 18% 19% 14% 
 
2,689 
1,002 
37% 
363 
1,694 
841 
50% 
130 
636 
420 
66% 
135 
2,760 
1,545 
56% 
409 
13% 
8% 
21% 15% 
 
 
2,406 
828 
34% 
270 
2,733 
873 
32% 
507 
1,737 
665 
38% 
267 
11% 19% 15% 
| 2008 cases    | % change, 2008 to 2009    |
|---------------|---------------------------|
| Inquests      |                           |
| as % of       |                           |
| rep.          |                           |
| deaths        |                           |
| 2008          |                           |
| Reported      |                           |
| deaths        |                           |
| 2008, inc.    |                           |
| NFA           |                           |
|               |                           |
|               |                           |
|               |                           |
|               |                           |
| PMs as %      |                           |
| of rep.       |                           |
| deaths        |                           |
| 2008          |                           |
|               |                           |
|               |                           |
|               |                           |
| % change      |                           |
| in reported   |                           |
| deaths,       |                           |
| inc. NFA      |                           |
| Post­          |                           |
|               |                           |
|               |                           |
|               |                           |
|               |                           |
|               |                           |
| change in     |                           |
| %             |                           |
| inquests      |                           |
| Inquests      |                           |
| 2008          |                           |
| change in     |                           |
| % PMs         |                           |
| mortems       |                           |
| 2008          |                           |
| 0             |                           |
| 0             | n/a                       |
| n/a           | n/a                       |
| 1,087         |                           |
| 657           | 60%                       |
| 1,222         |                           |
| 772           | 63%                       |
| 472           |                           |
| 176           | 37%                       |
| 13%           | 9.5%                      |
| 18%           | 7.4%                      |
| 11%           | 4.2%                      |
| 738           |                           |
| 371           | 50%                       |
| 489           |                           |
| 335           | 69%                       |
| 2,731         |                           |
| 1,065         | 39%                       |
| 14%           | -1.1%                     |
| 19%           | -10.0%                    |
| 13%           | -4.1%                     |
| 1,981         |                           |
| 846           | 43%                       |
| 1,922         |                           |
| 776           | 40%                       |
| 864           |                           |
| 533           | 62%                       |
| 1,685         |                           |
| 599           | 36%                       |
| 12%           | -1.8%                     |
| 15%           | -3.8%                     |
| 26%           | -3.7%                     |
| 20%           | -2.8%                     |
| 4,714         |                           |
| 2,416         | 51%                       |
| 16%           | 8.8%                      |
| 1,100         |                           |
| 670           | 61%                       |
| 1,311         |                           |
| 634           | 48%                       |
| 16%           | -7.1%                     |
| 11%           | -3.4%                     |
| 2,972         |                           |
| 1,744         | 59%                       |
| 2,584         |                           |
| 993           | 38%                       |
| 3,215         |                           |
| 1,954         | 61%                       |
| 4,094         |                           |
| 2,038         | 50%                       |
| 25%           | 5.5%                      |
| 15%           | 2.7%                      |
| 19%           | -3.4%                     |
| 16%           | 0.3%                      |
| 2,508         |                           |
| 812           | 32%                       |
| 1,720         |                           |
| 807           | 47%                       |
| 664           |                           |
| 432           | 65%                       |
| 2,979         |                           |
| 1,661         | 56%                       |
| 12%           | 7.2%                      |
| 7%            | -1.5%                     |
| 22%           | -4.2%                     |
| 15%           | -7.4%                     |
| 2,620         |                           |
| 898           | 34%                       |
| 2,912         |                           |
| 908           | 31%                       |
| 1,621         |                           |
| 639           | 39%                       |
| 10%           | -8.2%                     |
| 17%           | -6.1%                     |
| 16%           | 7.2%                      |

## 

| 2009 cases                              | 2008 cases    | % change, 2008 to 2009    |     |
|-----------------------------------------|---------------|---------------------------|-----|
| Inquests                                |               |                           |     |
| as % of                                 |               |                           |     |
| rep.                                    |               |                           |     |
| deaths                                  |               |                           |     |
| 2009                                    |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
| Inquests                                |               |                           |     |
| as % of                                 |               |                           |     |
| rep.                                    |               |                           |     |
| deaths                                  |               |                           |     |
| 2008                                    |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
| County / unitary authority or district  |               |                           |     |
| Reported                                |               |                           |     |
| deaths                                  |               |                           |     |
| 2009, inc.                              |               |                           |     |
| NFA                                     |               |                           |     |
| PMs as %                                |               |                           |     |
| of rep.                                 |               |                           |     |
| deaths                                  |               |                           |     |
| 2009                                    |               |                           |     |
| Reported                                |               |                           |     |
| deaths                                  |               |                           |     |
| 2008, inc.                              |               |                           |     |
| NFA                                     |               |                           |     |
| PMs as %                                |               |                           |     |
| of rep.                                 |               |                           |     |
| deaths                                  |               |                           |     |
| 2008                                    |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
| % change                                |               |                           |     |
| in reported                             |               |                           |     |
| deaths,                                 |               |                           |     |
| inc. NFA                                |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
| Post­                                    |               |                           |     |
| Post­                                    |               |                           |     |
| change in                               |               |                           |     |
| %                                       |               |                           |     |
| inquests                                |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
| Inquests                                |               |                           |     |
| 2009                                    |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
| Inquests                                |               |                           |     |
| 2008                                    |               |                           |     |
| change in                               |               |                           |     |
| % PMs                                   |               |                           |     |
| mortems                                 |               |                           |     |
| 2009                                    |               |                           |     |
| mortems                                 |               |                           |     |
| 2008                                    |               |                           |     |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
| YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER                |               |                           |     |
| EAST RIDING and HULL                    |               |                           |     |
| 2,971                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,133                                   | 38%           | 293                       | 10% |
| 3,013                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,112                                   | 37%           | 293                       | 10% |
|                                         |               |                           |     |
| NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE and GRIMSBY          |               |                           |     |
| 1,477                                   |               |                           |     |
| 455                                     | 31%           | 124                       | 8%  |
| 1,368                                   |               |                           |     |
| 438                                     | 32%           | 127                       | 9%  |
| YORK CITY                               |               |                           |     |
| 982                                     |               |                           |     |
| 411                                     | 42%           | 101                       | 10% |
| 1,084                                   |               |                           |     |
| 442                                     | 41%           | 105                       | 10% |
| North Yorkshire Eastern District        |               |                           |     |
| 1,139                                   |               |                           |     |
| 661                                     | 58%           | 132                       | 12% |
| 1,196                                   |               |                           |     |
| 654                                     | 55%           | 125                       | 10% |
| North Yorkshire Western District        |               |                           |     |
| 1,078                                   |               |                           |     |
| 368                                     | 34%           | 129                       | 12% |
| 1,051                                   |               |                           |     |
| 400                                     | 38%           | 126                       | 12% |
| South Yorkshire Eastern District        |               |                           |     |
| 2,513                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,550                                   | 62%           | 352                       | 14% |
| 2,751                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,603                                   | 58%           | 366                       | 13% |
| South Yorkshire Western District        |               |                           |     |
| 3,120                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,514                                   | 49%           | 453                       | 15% |
| 3,244                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,504                                   | 46%           | 479                       | 15% |
| West Yorkshire Eastern District         |               |                           |     |
| 3,686                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,658                                   | 45%           | 513                       | 14% |
| 3,778                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,809                                   | 48%           | 585                       | 15% |
| West Yorkshire Western District         |               |                           |     |
| 3,388                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,749                                   | 52%           | 495                       | 15% |
| 3,609                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,779                                   | 49%           | 505                       | 14% |
| EAST MIDLANDS                           |               |                           |     |
| DERBYSHIRE                              |               |                           |     |
| Derby and South Derbyshire              |               |                           |     |
| 2,600                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,105                                   | 43%           | 283                       | 11% |
| 2,709                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,211                                   | 45%           | 295                       | 11% |
| North Derbyshire                        |               |                           |     |
| 1,975                                   |               |                           |     |
| 814                                     | 41%           | 327                       | 17% |
| 2,099                                   |               |                           |     |
| 652                                     | 31%           | 308                       | 15% |
| LEICESTERSHIRE                          |               |                           |     |
| Leicester City and South Leicestershire |               |                           |     |
| 3,318                                   |               |                           |     |
| 865                                     | 26%           | 413                       | 12% |
| 3,426                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,257                                   | 37%           | 668                       | 19% |
| Rutland and North Leicestershire        |               |                           |     |
| 866                                     |               |                           |     |
| 451                                     | 52%           | 168                       | 19% |
| 874                                     |               |                           |     |
| 486                                     | 56%           | 170                       | 19% |
| LINCOLNSHIRE                            |               |                           |     |
| Boston and Spalding                     |               |                           |     |
| 1,021                                   |               |                           |     |
| 413                                     | 40%           | 64                        | 6%  |
| 1,012                                   |               |                           |     |
| 400                                     | 40%           | 59                        | 6%  |
| West Lincolnshire                       |               |                           |     |
| 1,558                                   |               |                           |     |
| 525                                     | 34%           | 136                       | 9%  |
| 1,652                                   |               |                           |     |
| 546                                     | 33%           | 128                       | 8%  |
| Spilsby and Louth                       |               |                           |     |
| 522                                     |               |                           |     |
| 279                                     | 53%           | 58                        | 11% |
| 539                                     |               |                           |     |
| 291                                     | 54%           | 56                        | 10% |
| Stamford                                |               |                           |     |
| 139                                     |               |                           |     |
| 70                                      | 50%           | 20                        | 14% |
| 142                                     |               |                           |     |
| 53                                      | 37%           | 12                        | 8%  |
| NORTHAMPTONSHIRE                        |               |                           |     |
| 2,504                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,069                                   | 43%           | 239                       | 10% |
| 2,579                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,085                                   | 42%           | 299                       | 12% |
| NOTTINGHAMSHIRE                         |               |                           |     |
| 6,003                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,577                                   | 26%           | 445                       |     |
| 7%                                      |               |                           |     |
| 6,009                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,575                                   | 26%           | 429                       | 7%  |
| WEST MIDLANDS                           |               |                           |     |
| HEREFORDSHIRE                           |               |                           |     |
| 786                                     |               |                           |     |
| 371                                     | 47%           | 104                       | 13% |
| 869                                     |               |                           |     |
| 370                                     | 43%           | 84                        | 10% |
| SHROPSHIRE                              |               |                           |     |
| Mid and North Shropshire                |               |                           |     |
| 893                                     |               |                           |     |
| 410                                     | 46%           | 89                        | 10% |
| 923                                     |               |                           |     |
| 474                                     | 51%           | 110                       | 12% |
| South Shropshire                        |               |                           |     |
| 256                                     |               |                           |     |
| 159                                     | 62%           | 45                        | 18% |
| 287                                     |               |                           |     |
| 169                                     | 59%           | 43                        | 15% |
| STAFFORDSHIRE                           |               |                           |     |
| Staffordshire South                     |               |                           |     |
| 2,268                                   |               |                           |     |
| 862                                     | 38%           | 360                       | 16% |
| 2,514                                   |               |                           |     |
| 921                                     | 37%           | 354                       | 14% |
| Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire  |               |                           |     |
| 3,712                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,442                                   | 39%           | 468                       | 13% |
| 3,702                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,444                                   | 39%           | 480                       | 13% |
| TELFORD and WREKIN                      |               |                           |     |
| 775                                     |               |                           |     |
| 377                                     | 49%           | 82                        | 11% |
| 761                                     |               |                           |     |
| 394                                     | 52%           | 80                        | 11% |
| WARWICKSHIRE                            |               |                           |     |
| 1,816                                   |               |                           |     |
| 763                                     | 42%           | 222                       | 12% |
| 1,935                                   |               |                           |     |
| 847                                     | 44%           | 241                       | 12% |
| WEST MIDLANDS                           |               |                           |     |
| Birmingham and Solihull                 |               |                           |     |
| 4,488                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,761                                   | 39%           | 1,082                     | 24% |
| 4,370                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,747                                   | 40%           | 1,122                     | 26% |
| Black Country                           |               |                           |     |
| 3,166                                   |               |                           |     |
| 972                                     | 31%           | 345                       | 11% |
| 3,866                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,227                                   | 32%           | 344                       | 9%  |
| Coventry                                |               |                           |     |
| 2,030                                   |               |                           |     |
| 579                                     | 29%           | 220                       |     |
| 11%                                     |               |                           |     |
| 1,988                                   |               |                           |     |
| 541                                     | 27%           | 211                       | 11% |
| Wolverhampton                           |               |                           |     |
| 1,172                                   |               |                           |     |
| 436                                     | 37%           | 205                       | 17% |
| 1,273                                   |               |                           |     |
| 551                                     | 43%           | 191                       | 15% |
| WORCESTERSHIRE                          |               |                           |     |
| 2,487                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,120                                   | 45%           | 366                       | 15% |
| 2,468                                   |               |                           |     |
| 1,027                                   | 42%           | 301                       | 12% |
|                                        |            |                        |
|----------------------------------------|------------|------------------------|
| 2009 cases                             | 2008 cases | % change, 2008 to 2009 |
| Inquests                               |            |                        |
| as % of                                |            |                        |
| rep.                                   |            |                        |
| deaths                                 |            |                        |
| 2009                                   |            |                        |
|                                        |            |                        |
|                                        |            |                        |
|                                        |            |                        |
|                                        |            |                        |
| Inquests                               |            |                        |
| as % of                                |            |                        |
| rep.                                   |            |                        |
| deaths                                 |            |                        |
| 2008                                   |            |                        |
| County / unitary authority or district |            |                        |
| Reported                               |            |                        |
| deaths                                 |            |                        |
| 2009, inc.                             |            |                        |
| NFA                                    |            |                        |
| PMs as %                               |            |                        |
| of rep.                                |            |                        |
| deaths                                 |            |                        |
| 2009                                   |            |                        |
| Reported                               |            |                        |
| deaths                                 |            |                        |
| 2008, inc.                             |            |                        |
| NFA                                    |            |                        |
| PMs as %                               |            |                        |
| of rep.                                |            |                        |
| deaths                                 |            |                        |
| 2008                                   |            |                        |
|                                        |            |                        |
|                                        |            |                        |
|                                        |            |                        |
|                                        |            |                        |
|                                        |            |                        |
| % change                               |            |                        |
| in reported                            |            |                        |
| deaths,                                |            |                        |
| inc. NFA                               |            |                        |
|                                        |            |                        |
|                                        |            |                        |
| Post­                                   |            |                        |
| Post­                                   |            |                        |
| change in                              |            |                        |
| %                                      |            |                        |
| inquests                               |            |                        |
|                                        |            |                        |
|                                        |            |                        |
|                                        |            |                        |
|                                        |            |                        |
|                                        |            |                        |
| Inquests                               |            |                        |
| 2009                                   |            |                        |
|                                        |            |                        |
|                                        |            |                        |
| Inquests                               |            |                        |
| 2008                                   |            |                        |
| change in                              |            |                        |
| % PMs                                  |            |                        |
| mortems                                |            |                        |
| 2009                                   |            |                        |
| mortems                                |            |                        |
| 2008                                   |            |                        |
|                                        |            |                        |
| EAST OF ENGLAND                        |            |                        |
| BEDFORDSHIRE AND LUTON                 |            |                        |
| 2,025                                  |            |                        |
| 812                                    | 40%        | 212                    |
| 2,066                                  |            |                        |
| 810                                    | 39%        | 240                    |
| CAMBRIDGESHIRE                         |            |                        |
| North and East Cambridgeshire          |            |                        |
| 382                                    |            |                        |
| 221                                    | 58%        | 57                     |
| 387                                    |            |                        |
| 235                                    | 61%        | 67                     |
| South and West Cambridgeshire          |            |                        |
| 2,022                                  |            |                        |
| 709                                    | 35%        | 195                    |
| 1,891                                  |            |                        |
| 689                                    | 36%        | 192                    |
| ESSEX and THURROCK                     |            |                        |
| 4,599                                  |            |                        |
| 2,629                                  | 57%        | 492                    |
| 4,698                                  |            |                        |
| 2,470                                  | 53%        | 509                    |
| HERTFORDSHIRE                          |            |                        |
| 3,055                                  |            |                        |
| 1,611                                  | 53%        | 386                    |
| 3,268                                  |            |                        |
| 1,819                                  | 56%        | 413                    |
| NORFOLK                                |            |                        |
| Great Yarmouth                         |            |                        |
| 744                                    |            |                        |
| 296                                    | 40%        | 64                     |
| 723                                    |            |                        |
| 276                                    | 38%        | 50                     |
| Greater Norfolk                        |            |                        |
| 3,357                                  |            |                        |
| 1,593                                  | 47%        | 436                    |
| 3,141                                  |            |                        |
| 1,634                                  | 52%        | 413                    |
| PETERBOROUGH                           |            |                        |
| 1,005                                  |            |                        |
| 381                                    | 38%        | 92                     |
| 1,025                                  |            |                        |
| 377                                    | 37%        | 107                    |
| -1.3%                                  |            |                        |
| SOUTHEND-ON-SEA                        |            |                        |
| 1,515                                  |            |                        |
| 674                                    | 44%        | 146                    |
| 1,579                                  |            |                        |
| 664                                    | 42%        | 139                    |
| SUFFOLK                                |            |                        |
| 2,647                                  |            |                        |
| 1,313                                  | 50%        | 286                    |
| 2,796                                  |            |                        |
| 1,389                                  | 50%        | 262                    |
| LONDON                                 |            |                        |
| City of London                         |            |                        |
| 134                                    |            |                        |
| 43                                     | 32%        | 19                     |
| 126                                    |            |                        |
| 40                                     | 32%        | 17                     |
| East London                            |            |                        |
| 3,770                                  |            |                        |
| 1,814                                  | 48%        | 416                    |
| 3,940                                  |            |                        |
| 1,822                                  | 46%        | 376                    |
| Inner North London                     |            |                        |
| 3,538                                  |            |                        |
| 1,630                                  | 46%        | 597                    |
| 3,061                                  |            |                        |
| 1,362                                  | 44%        | 460                    |
| Inner South London                     |            |                        |
| 3,253                                  |            |                        |
| 1,906                                  | 59%        | 513                    |
| 3,524                                  |            |                        |
| 2,134                                  | 61%        | 576                    |
| Inner West London                      |            |                        |
| 2,500                                  |            |                        |
| 1,182                                  | 47%        | 381                    |
| 2,723                                  |            |                        |
| 1,307                                  | 48%        | 426                    |
| North London                           |            |                        |
| 3,840                                  |            |                        |
| 1,843                                  | 48%        | 490                    |
| 3,822                                  |            |                        |
| 1,944                                  | 51%        | 512                    |
| South London                           |            |                        |
| 3,217                                  |            |                        |
| 1,731                                  | 54%        | 309                    |
| 3,285                                  |            |                        |
| 1,747                                  | 53%        | 296                    |
| West London                            |            |                        |
| 3,771                                  |            |                        |
| 1,553                                  | 41%        | 498                    |
| 3,858                                  |            |                        |
| 1,655                                  | 43%        | 453                    |
| SOUTH EAST                             |            |                        |
| BERKSHIRE                              |            |                        |
| 2,529                                  |            |                        |
| 1,136                                  | 45%        | 301                    |
| 2,690                                  |            |                        |
| 1,245                                  | 46%        | 309                    |
| BRIGHTON AND HOVE                      |            |                        |
| 1,439                                  |            |                        |
| 717                                    | 50%        | 234                    |
| 1,416                                  |            |                        |
| 710                                    | 50%        | 237                    |
| BUCKINGHAMSHIRE                        |            |                        |
| 1,417                                  |            |                        |
| 703                                    | 50%        | 150                    |
| 1,365                                  |            |                        |
| 688                                    | 50%        | 170                    |
| EAST SUSSEX                            |            |                        |
| 2,318                                  |            |                        |
| 1,431                                  | 62%        | 322                    |
| 2,410                                  |            |                        |
| 1,385                                  | 57%        | 326                    |
| HAMPSHIRE                              |            |                        |
| Central Hampshire                      |            |                        |
| 1,204                                  |            |                        |
| 580                                    | 48%        | 191                    |
| 1,137                                  |            |                        |
| 560                                    | 49%        | 180                    |
| North East Hampshire                   |            |                        |
| 1,117                                  |            |                        |
| 608                                    | 54%        | 119                    |
| 1,103                                  |            |                        |
| 633                                    | 57%        | 120                    |
| Portsmouth and South East Hampshire    |            |                        |
| 2,593                                  |            |                        |
| 1,229                                  | 47%        | 371                    |
| 2,682                                  |            |                        |
| 1,255                                  | 47%        | 309                    |
| Southampton and New Forest             |            |                        |
| 2,082                                  |            |                        |
| 772                                    | 37%        | 203                    |
| 2,279                                  |            |                        |
| 854                                    | 37%        | 218                    |
| ISLE OF WIGHT                          |            |                        |
| 670                                    |            |                        |
| 417                                    | 62%        | 75                     |
| 743                                    |            |                        |
| 431                                    | 58%        | 89                     |
| KENT                                   |            |                        |
| Central and South East Kent            |            |                        |
| 1,498                                  |            |                        |
| 1,003                                  | 67%        | 201                    |
| 1,430                                  |            |                        |
| 987                                    | 69%        | 164                    |
| Mid Kent and Medway                    |            |                        |
| 2,429                                  |            |                        |
| 1,292                                  | 53%        | 248                    |
| 2,465                                  |            |                        |
| 1,389                                  | 56%        | 246                    |
| 0.2%                                   |            |                        |
| North East Kent                        |            |                        |
| 1,938                                  |            |                        |
| 1,232                                  | 64%        | 221                    |
| 1,898                                  |            |                        |
| 1,176                                  | 62%        | 196                    |
| North West Kent                        |            |                        |
| 1,578                                  |            |                        |
| 869                                    | 55%        | 231                    |
| 1,638                                  |            |                        |
| 926                                    | 57%        | 188                    |
| MILTON KEYNES                          |            |                        |
| 781                                    |            |                        |
| 513                                    | 66%        | 130                    |
| 735                                    |            |                        |
| 501                                    | 68%        | 104                    |
| 2009 cases                             | 2008 cases    | % change, 2008 to 2009    |
|----------------------------------------|---------------|---------------------------|
| Inquests                               |               |                           |
| as % of                                |               |                           |
| rep.                                   |               |                           |
| deaths                                 |               |                           |
| 2009                                   |               |                           |
|                                        |               |                           |
|                                        |               |                           |
|                                        |               |                           |
|                                        |               |                           |
| Inquests                               |               |                           |
| as % of                                |               |                           |
| rep.                                   |               |                           |
| deaths                                 |               |                           |
| 2008                                   |               |                           |
| County / unitary authority or district |               |                           |
| Reported                               |               |                           |
| deaths                                 |               |                           |
| 2009, inc.                             |               |                           |
| NFA                                    |               |                           |
| PMs as %                               |               |                           |
| of rep.                                |               |                           |
| deaths                                 |               |                           |
| 2009                                   |               |                           |
| Reported                               |               |                           |
| deaths                                 |               |                           |
| 2008, inc.                             |               |                           |
| NFA                                    |               |                           |
| PMs as %                               |               |                           |
| of rep.                                |               |                           |
| deaths                                 |               |                           |
| 2008                                   |               |                           |
|                                        |               |                           |
|                                        |               |                           |
|                                        |               |                           |
|                                        |               |                           |
|                                        |               |                           |
| % change                               |               |                           |
| in reported                            |               |                           |
| deaths,                                |               |                           |
| inc. NFA                               |               |                           |
|                                        |               |                           |
| Post­                                   | Post­          |                           |
| change in                              |               |                           |
| %                                      |               |                           |
| inquests                               |               |                           |
|                                        |               |                           |
|                                        |               |                           |
|                                        |               |                           |
|                                        |               |                           |
|                                        |               |                           |
|                                        |               |                           |
| Inquests                               |               |                           |
| 2009                                   |               |                           |
|                                        |               |                           |
|                                        |               |                           |
| Inquests                               |               |                           |
| 2008                                   |               |                           |
| change in                              |               |                           |
| % PMs                                  |               |                           |
| mortems                                |               |                           |
| 2009                                   |               |                           |
| mortems                                |               |                           |
| 2008                                   |               |                           |
|                                        |               |                           |
| OXFORDSHIRE                            |               |                           |
| 2,000                                  |               |                           |
| 846                                    | 42%           | 290                       |
| 2,080                                  |               |                           |
| 848                                    | 41%           | 274                       |
| SURREY                                 |               |                           |
| 4,095                                  |               |                           |
| 2,051                                  | 50%           | 372                       |
| 4,290                                  |               |                           |
| 2,009                                  | 47%           | 388                       |
| WEST SUSSEX                            |               |                           |
| 3,149                                  |               |                           |
| 1,533                                  | 49%           | 293                       |
| 3,137                                  |               |                           |
| 1,669                                  | 53%           | 355                       |
| SOUTH WEST                             |               |                           |
| AVON                                   |               |                           |
| 4,623                                  |               |                           |
| 2,257                                  | 49%           | 703                       |
| 4,966                                  |               |                           |
| 2,388                                  | 48%           | 702                       |
| CORNWALL                               |               |                           |
| 2,637                                  |               |                           |
| 1,674                                  | 63%           | 350                       |
| 2,689                                  |               |                           |
| 1,659                                  | 62%           | 341                       |
| DEVON                                  |               |                           |
| Exeter and Greater Devon               |               |                           |
| 2,893                                  |               |                           |
| 931                                    | 32%           | 326                       |
| 2,970                                  |               |                           |
| 1,199                                  | 40%           | 385                       |
| Plymouth and South West Devon          |               |                           |
| 2,178                                  |               |                           |
| 1,078                                  | 49%           | 390                       |
| 2,210                                  |               |                           |
| 1,142                                  | 52%           | 387                       |
| Torbay and South Devon                 |               |                           |
| 2,071                                  |               |                           |
| 762                                    | 37%           | 171                       |
| 2,047                                  |               |                           |
| 795                                    | 39%           | 159                       |
| DORSET                                 |               |                           |
| Bournemouth, Poole and Eastern Dorset  |               |                           |
| 2,269                                  |               |                           |
| 788                                    | 35%           | 171                       |
| 2,368                                  |               |                           |
| 840                                    | 35%           | 179                       |
| Western Dorset                         |               |                           |
| 1,005                                  |               |                           |
| 452                                    | 45%           | 95                        |
| 1,052                                  |               |                           |
| 462                                    | 44%           | 98                        |
| GLOUCESTERSHIRE                        |               |                           |
| 1,986                                  |               |                           |
| 1,256                                  | 63%           | 390                       |
| 2,124                                  |               |                           |
| 1,284                                  | 60%           | 429                       |
| ISLES OF SCILLY                        |               |                           |
| 4                                      |               |                           |
| 1                                      | 25%           | 1                         |
| 2                                      |               |                           |
| 2                                      |               |                           |
| *                                      |               |                           |
| 0                                      |               |                           |
| *                                      | *             | *                         |
| SOMERSET                               |               |                           |
| Eastern Somerset                       |               |                           |
| 1,037                                  |               |                           |
| 568                                    | 55%           | 145                       |
| 1,046                                  |               |                           |
| 582                                    | 56%           | 154                       |
| Western Somerset                       |               |                           |
| 1,333                                  |               |                           |
| 569                                    | 43%           | 145                       |
| 1,330                                  |               |                           |
| 543                                    | 41%           | 157                       |
| WILTSHIRE and SWINDON                  |               |                           |
| 2,306                                  |               |                           |
| 1,136                                  | 49%           | 402                       |
| 2,240                                  |               |                           |
| 1,119                                  | 50%           | 348                       |
| WALES                                  |               |                           |
| Bridgend and Glamorgan Valleys         |               |                           |
| 2,646                                  |               |                           |
| 1,163                                  | 44%           | 285                       |
| 2,920                                  |               |                           |
| 1,320                                  | 45%           | 237                       |
| Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan          |               |                           |
| 1,665                                  |               |                           |
| 840                                    | 50%           | 390                       |
| 1,671                                  |               |                           |
| 860                                    | 51%           | 409                       |
| Carmarthenshire                        |               |                           |
| 768                                    |               |                           |
| 353                                    | 46%           | 91                        |
| 12%                                    |               |                           |
| 822                                    |               |                           |
| 374                                    | 45%           | 99                        |
| Central North Wales                    |               |                           |
| 1,287                                  |               |                           |
| 768                                    | 60%           | 226                       |
| 1,476                                  |               |                           |
| 818                                    | 55%           | 250                       |
| Ceredigion                             |               |                           |
| 284                                    |               |                           |
| 196                                    | 69%           | 34                        |
| 282                                    |               |                           |
| 191                                    | 68%           | 41                        |
| Gwent                                  |               |                           |
| 2,510                                  |               |                           |
| 947                                    | 38%           | 133                       |
| 2,610                                  |               |                           |
| 925                                    | 35%           | 152                       |
| Neath and Port Talbot                  |               |                           |
| 466                                    |               |                           |
| 262                                    | 56%           | 79                        |
| 480                                    |               |                           |
| 250                                    | 52%           | 48                        |
| North East Wales                       |               |                           |
| 1,165                                  |               |                           |
| 656                                    | 56%           | 233                       |
| 1,143                                  |               |                           |
| 646                                    | 57%           | 230                       |
| North West Wales                       |               |                           |
| 1,162                                  |               |                           |
| 511                                    | 44%           | 151                       |
| 1,121                                  |               |                           |
| 517                                    | 46%           | 163                       |
| Pembrokeshire                          |               |                           |
| 606                                    |               |                           |
| 259                                    | 43%           | 68                        |
| 641                                    |               |                           |
| 240                                    | 37%           | 78                        |
| Powys                                  |               |                           |
| 301                                    |               |                           |
| 221                                    | 73%           | 70                        |
| 301                                    |               |                           |
| 207                                    | 69%           | 63                        |
| City and County of Swansea             |               |                           |
| 1,638                                  |               |                           |
| 591                                    | 36%           | 201                       |
| 1,566                                  |               |                           |
| 612                                    | 39%           | 192                       |
| 0.0%                                   |               |                           |
|                                        |               |                           |
| ENGLAND and WALES                      | 229,883       | 105,354                   |

NOTE:  NFA cases are deaths notified to coroners which required neither an inquest nor a post-mortem, and where no certificate of any kind was issued. 

 
(1) Percentages not shown because of the low volume of caseload. 

 

Verdict category 
Homicide, 
killed 
unlawfully 
and killed 
lawfully 
Nondependent 
abuse of 
drugs 
County / unitary authority or district 
Suicide 
Lack of care 
or selfneglect 


Dependence 
on drugs 
The Queen's Household 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
ENGLAND 
NORTH EAST 
DURHAM 
Darlington and South Durham North Durham 
HARTLEPOOL
 
NORTHUMBERLAND 
North Northumberland 
South Northumberland 
TEESSIDE
 
TYNE AND WEAR 
Gateshead and South Tyneside Newcastle upon Tyne North Tyneside Sunderland 
 
0 
1 
0 
17 
0 
2 
30 
0 
4 
3 
0 
0 
2 
26 
24 
43 
4 
39 
39 
108 
2
 
12
 
10
 6
 
0 
0 
2 
4 
0 
0 
14 
0 
0 
24
 0
 2
 
1 
12 
15 
45 
0 
4 
45 
31 
0
 
40
 
121
 
55
 
 
4 0 0 
1 
10 
0 
0 
18 
0 
1 
19 
0 
0 
2 
0 
1 
2 
38 
81 
41 
6 
40 
60 
98 
0 
20 
79 
55 
0 
62 
39 
195 
NORTH WEST 
CHESHIRE CUMBRIA 
South and East Cumbria North and West Cumbria 
GREATER MANCHESTER 
Manchester city Manchester North Manchester South Manchester West 
LANCASHIRE 
Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Blackpool/Fylde
 
East Lancashire Preston and West Lancashire 
MERSEYSIDE 
Sefton, Knowsley and St Helens Liverpool Wirral 
0 
77 
0 
1 
1 
91 
186 
365 
 
 
0 
2 
11 
0 
1 
19 
0 
3 
1 
16 
37 
41 
2 
6 
28 
18 
2 
0 
3 
0 
39 
0 
5 
60 
0 
5 
49 
2 
0 
74 
0 
12 
9 
24 
203 
261 
2 
8 
82 
216 
0 
28 
254 
232 
6 
46 
201 
84 
1 
0 
1 
1 
32 
1 
0 
15
 0
 4
 
27 
0 
0 
56 
0 
2 
0 
10 
79 
141 
0
 
13
 
61
 
20
 
0 
14 
47 
56 
0 
43 
113 
126 
 
 
0 
3 
0 
50 
0 
4 
30 
0 
13 
7 
0 
0 
2 
12 
94 
68 
10 
30 
132 
164 
4 
33 
59 
87 
Total, all 
verdicts 
Death by 
accident or 
mis­
Death from 
industrial 
diseases 
Deaths from 
natural 
causes 
Open 
verdicts 
All other 
verdicts (1) 
adventure 
11 
8 
9 
13 
7
 
10
 
133 247 
50 
6 
36 
0 
2 
31
 7
 
119 
96 
282 
10 
16 
8 
59 
17 
22 
12 
43 
202 290 212 355 
39 
70 
830 
13 
46 
12 
2 
166 
92 
28 
184 
19 
83 
52 
33 
65 
148 
755 475 653 636 
7 
85 
7 
2 
8 
11 
21 
69 
356 122 164 431 
10 
9 
9 
93 
21 
34 
249 484 245 
Verdict category 
 
Homicide, 
killed 
unlawfully 
and killed 
lawfully 
Total, all 
verdicts 
Death by 
accident or 
mis­
Nondependent 
abuse of 
drugs 
 
County / unitary authority or district 
Suicide 
Lack of care 
or selfneglect 


Death from 
industrial 
diseases 
Deaths from 
natural 
causes 
Dependence 
on drugs 
Open 
verdicts 
All other 
verdicts (1) 
adventure 
 
YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER 
 
EAST RIDING and HULL 
0 
26 
0 
0 
0 
32 
68 
63 
41 
60 
290 
NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE and GRIMSBY 
3 
19 
0 
3 
1 
17 
33 
25 
4 
37 
142 
 
YORK CITY 
0 
13 
0 
5 
0 
13 
23 
32 
6 
1 
93 
North Yorkshire Eastern District 
0 
22 
0 
0 
0 
6 
54 
21 
8 
2 
113 
North Yorkshire
 
Western District
 
3
 
27
 0
 1
 2
 5
 
35
 
26
 
10
 9
 118 
 
South Yorkshire Eastern District 
1 
26 
0 
1 
3 
75 
62 
46 
11 
46 
271 
South Yorkshire Western District 
1 
51 
1 
0 
0 
87 
108 
123 
12 
73 
456 
West Yorkshire Eastern District 
2 
58 
0 
13 
19 
80 
142 
114 
37 
49 
514 
West Yorkshire
 
Western District
 
6
 
70
 0
 7
 
19
 
38
 
171
 
107
 
16
 
20
 454 
 
EAST MIDLANDS 
DERBYSHIRE 
Derby and South Derbyshire 
1 
38 
0 
1 
2 
46 
60 
66 
25 
36 
275 
 
North Derbyshire 
1 
2 
0 
0 
1 
23 
54 
154 
22 
24 
281 
LEICESTERSHIRE 
Leicester City and South Leicestershire 
2 
46 
0 
1 
0 
26 
185 
254 
27 
95 
636 
 
Rutland and North Leicestershire 
2 
23 
0 
0 
0 
4 
65 
52 
10 
17 
173 
LINCOLNSHIRE 
Boston and Spalding 
0 
9 
0 
1 
1 
3 
28 
9 
5 
3 
59 
 
West Lincolnshire 
1 
17 
0 
4 
7 
6 
26 
20 
24 
8 
113 
Spilsby and Louth 
2 
11 
0 
0 
1 
4 
22 
7 
16 
2 
65 
Stamford
 
0 4
 
0 0 0
 
0 6
 
6
 
2
 
2
 20 
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 
4 
39 
0 
1 
1 
23 
108 
69 
26 
20 
291 
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 
4 
50 
0 
0 
0 
67 
152 
70 
38 
12 
393 
WEST MIDLANDS 
HEREFORDSHIRE 
2 
13 
0 
0 
0 
9 
29 
25 
7 
8 
93 
SHROPSHIRE 
Mid and North Shropshire 
2 
15 
0 
0 
0 
9 
32 
8 
4 
13 
83 
 
South Shropshire 
1 
14 
1 
0 
0 
4 
15 
1 
3 
5 
44 
STAFFORDSHIRE 
Staffordshire South 
3 
63 
0 
4 
2 
61 
148 
70 
12 
10 
373 
Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire 
1 
21 
1 
4 
0 
59 
124 
59 
19 
117 
405 
 
TELFORD and WREKIN 
0 
12 
0 
0 
0 
7 
27 
14 
4 
14 
78 
WARWICKSHIRE 
8 
35 
1 
1 
8 
17 
78 
44 
9 
7 
208 
WEST MIDLANDS 
Birmingham and Solihull 
3 
17 
3 
0 
0 
31 
141 
273 
28 
466 
962 
Black Country
 
1
 
37
 0
 
12
 1
 
23
 
56
 
83
 
16
 
37
 266 
Coventry
 
5
 
30
 0
 1
 5
 8
 
50
 
82
 
18
 5
 204 
Wolverhampton 
0 
6 
1 
1 
0 
3 
17 
46 
11 
31 
116 
WORCESTERSHIRE
 
1
 
36
 0
 2
 4
 5
 
111
 
99
 
34
 
50
 342 
Verdict category 
 
Homicide, 
killed 
unlawfully 
and killed 
lawfully 
 
Nondependent 
abuse of 
drugs 
 
County / unitary authority or district 


Suicide 
Lack of care 
or selfneglect 
Dependence 
on drugs 
 
EAST OF ENGLAND 
 
BEDFORDSHIRE and LUTON 
5 
37 
0 
5 
0 
23 
63 
48 
5 
7 
193 
CAMBRIDGESHIRE 
North and
 
East Cambridgeshire
 
1
 
16
 
0
 
0
 
1
 
2
 
12
 
8
 
2
 
7
 49 


South and West Cambridgeshire 
1 
34 
1 
1 
0 
14 
67 
52 
5 
26 
201 
ESSEX and THURROCK 
2 
59 
0 
1 
0 
73 
90 
87 
35 
10 
357 
HERTFORDSHIRE 
0 
63 
1 
0 
1 
28 
115 
151 
13 
29 
401 
NORFOLK 
Great Yarmouth
 
4
 
8
 
0
 
0
 
0
 
6
 
27
 
17
 
12
 
1
 75 
Greater Norfolk 
0 
45 
0 
0 
0 
44 
133 
121 
4 
111 
458 
PETERBOROUGH
 
0
 
8
 
0
 
0
 
0
 
4
 
35
 
19
 
10
 
7
 83 
SOUTHEND-ON-SEA
 
1
 
23
 0
 0
 0 18
 
28
 
13
 
23
 
30
 136 
SUFFOLK
 
2
 
43
 0
 0
 0 20
 
67 40
 
36
 
60
 268 
LONDON 
City of London
 
0
 
5
 
0
 
0
 
1
 
2
 
6
 
3
 
0
 
3
 20 
East London
 
6
 
50
 1
 2
 0 41
 
71 69
 
56
 
35
 331 
Inner North London 
22 
68 
1 
23 
27 
33 
123 
160 
92 
35 
584 
Inner South London 
3 
56 
2 
21 
12 
24 
106 
128 
80 
45 
477 
Inner West London 
2 
54 
3 
8 
11 
7 
140 
88 
32 
35 
380 
 
North London 
7 
21 
0 
2 
3 
27 
121 
141 
84 
78 
484 
South London 
2 
30 
0 
6 
2 
23 
82 
38 
44 
19 
246 
West London 
2 
91 
0 
4 
2 
26 
136 
95 
34 
61 
451 
SOUTH EAST 
BERKSHIRE 
0 
24 
1 
0 
0 
11 
122 
40 
31 
68 
297 
BRIGHTON and HOVE 
2 
28 
6 
17 
0 
7 
97 
24 
22 
15 
218 
 
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 
2 
14 
0 
0 
0 
7 
50 
14 
12 
3 
102 
EAST SUSSEX
 
1
 
58
 0
 5
 2 25
 
95 97
 
18
 
21
 322 
HAMPSHIRE 
Central Hampshire
 
0
 
26
 1
 1
 0 25
 
47
 
71
 
22
 2
 195 
North East
 
Hampshire
 
0
 
23
 1
 0
 0 10
 
41 18
 
13
 4
 110 
 
 
Portsmouth and South East Hampshire 
0 
55 
0 
4 
0 
56 
113 
154 
9 
30 
421 
Southampton and New Forest 
3 
24 
0 
5 
0 
24 
67 
54 
11 
18 
206 
ISLE OF
 
WIGHT
 
0
 
10
 
0
 
2
 
2
 
8
 
29
 
9
 
11
 
1
 72 
 
KENT 
Central and South East Kent 
0 
17 
0 
3 
0 
17 
68 
34 
18 
32 
189 


Mid Kent
 
and Medway
 
1
 
39
 0
 0
 0 60
 
68
 
47
 
16
 
26
 257 
North East
 
Kent
 
2
 
17
 0
 0
 0 19
 
78 55
 
20
 
21
 212 
North West
 
Kent
 
5
 
29
 0
 0
 0 30
 
68
 
73
 
24
 1
 230 
MILTON KEYNES
 
0
 
18
 
0
 
2
 
0
 
8
 
41
 
36
 
8
 
5
 
118 
Total, all 
verdicts 
Death by 
accident or 
mis­ 
 
 
Death from 
industrial 
diseases 
Deaths from 
natural 
causes 
Open 
verdicts 
All other 
verdicts (1) 
adventure 
Verdict category 
 
Homicide, 
killed 
unlawfully 
and killed 
lawfully 
 
Total, all 
verdicts 
Nondependent 
abuse of 
drugs 
Death by 
accident or 
mis­ 


County / unitary authority or district 


Suicide 
Lack of care 
or selfneglect 
Death from 
industrial 
diseases 
Deaths from 
natural 
causes 
Dependence 
on drugs 
Open 
verdicts 
All other 
verdicts (1) 
adventure 
 
OXFORDSHIRE
 
1
 
33
 0
 0
 0 20
 
96 51
 
28
 
32
 261 
 
SURREY 
4 
53 
1 
6 
2 
56 
118 
85 
74 
17 
416 
WEST SUSSEX
 
0
 
36
 0
 3
 3 27
 
96 49
 
14
 
32
 260 
SOUTH WEST 
AVON 
18 
62 
0 
33 
2 
38 
192 
240 
65 
34 
684 
CORNWALL
 
2
 
34
 1
 1
 0 17
 
84
 
97
 
45
 
46
 327 
DEVON 
Exeter and Greater Devon 
3 
54 
0 
6 
35 
22 
166 
81 
15 
8 
390 
Plymouth and South West Devon 
4 
28 
2 
6 
5 
63 
97 
195 
23 
56 
479 
Torbay and South Devon 
0 
25 
0 
1 
0 
14 
49 
12 
12 
7 
120 
 
DORSET 
Bournemouth, Poole and Eastern Dorset 
0 
25 
0 
5 
1 
14 
41 
29 
17 
21 
153 
 
Western Dorset
 
0
 
11
 0
 1
 0 11
 
24 11
 
24
 0
 82 
GLOUCESTERSHIRE 
2 
42 
0 
0 
0 
34 
147 
86 
30 
25 
366 
ISLES OF
 
SCILLY
 
0
 
0
 
0
 
0
 
0
 
0
 
0
 
0
 
0
 
0
 0 
 
SOMERSET 
Eastern Somerset 
0 
17 
0 
0 
0 
4 
36 
53 
12 
18 
140 
Western Somerset
 
0
 
21
 0
 7
 3 11
 
44 52
 4 11
 153 
WILTSHIRE AND
 
SWINDON
 
29
 
56
 1
 3
 1 32
 
102
 
116
 
13
 
37
 390 
 
WALES 
Bridgend and Glamorgan Valleys 
1 
17 
0 
0 
0 
10 
68 
38 
19 
28 
181 
 
 
Cardiff
 
and Vale of Glamorgan
 
2
 
6
 
0
 
8
 
0
 
12
 
55
 
120
 
34
 
127
 
364 
Carmarthenshire
 
0
 
12
 
0
 
0
 
0
 
3
 
40
 
19
 
7
 
0
 81 
Central North
 
Wales
 
0
 
22
 0
 0
 0
 8
 
108
 
60
 
17
 
32
 247 
 
Ceredigion
 
0
 
5
 
1
 
0
 
0
 
0
 
20
 
9
 
3
 
0
 38 
Gwent 
2 
39 
0 
0 
0 
4 
93 
12 
13 
5 
168 
Neath
 
and Port Talbot
 
0
 
24
 
0
 
0
 
1
 
2
 
19
 
24
 
4
 
3
 77 


North East
 
Wales
 
2
 
20
 0
 0
 0 18
 
91
 
51
 
18
 
26
 226 
North West
 
Wales
 
0
 
17
 1
 1
 2 11
 
45
 
30
 7 17
 131 
Pembrokeshire
 
0
 
11
 
0
 
0
 
0
 
5
 
31
 
22
 
2
 
0
 71 
Powys
 
0
 
9
 
0
 
0
 
0
 
2
 
25
 
20
 
4
 
2
 62 
City and County of Swansea 
0 
21 
0 
0 
0 
5 
61 
91 
7 
11 
196 
 
TOTAL ENGLAND and WALES 
227 
3,330 
36 
316 
250 
2,623 
8,673 
8,281 
2,240 
3,805 
29,781 
 

(1) All other verdicts include those categories from Tables 4 and 6 for which separate columns are not shown in this table. NB: A table showing inquest verdicts by district broken down by males and females can be found in the spreadsheet version of the coroners statistics tables.  

## Explanatory Notes

1. This is a National Statistics publication produced by the Ministry of 
Justice. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards 
set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice.  They undergo regular 
quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference. 
2. The data analysed in this publication are based on annual returns from 
H.M. Coroners. Coroners are required under the provisions of Section 
28 of the Coroners Act 1988 to furnish to the Secretary of State returns 
in relation to inquests held and deaths inquired into by him (or her) in 
such form and containing such particulars as the Secretary of State may 
direct. Thanks are due to coroners and their staff for their work in 
preparing these returns. 

## Symbols And Conventions

The following symbols have been used throughout the tables in this bulletin: 

| n/a    | = Not applicable    |
|--------|---------------------|
| -      |                     |
|        | = Nil               |
|        |                     |
| ..     | = Not available     |
|        |                     |
| (R)    | = Revised data      |

## Definitions

The following brief definitions are intended as a guide to the meaning of terms in this bulletin concerning coroners and their work; more detailed definitions will be found in the Coroners Act 1988 and the Treasure Act 
1996. 

## Coroner; Deaths Reported

In England and Wales, all violent and unnatural deaths, sudden deaths of unknown cause, and all deaths of persons in custody, are reported to coroners. Coroners are appointed by local authorities; they must be barristers, solicitors or registered medical practitioners and must have at least five years' standing in the relevant profession.  The relevant legislation and guidance is contained within the Coroners Act 1988 and the Coroners Rules 1984 (as amended). 

## Non-Inquest Cases

The coroner's investigation is concluded most often without an inquest being held. The coroner will have satisfied himself or herself, by means of a post­
mortem examination or other investigation, on the physical cause of death, and that the death was not one on which he or she is required by law to hold an inquest. 

 

## Post Mortem Examinations

A coroner may request that a post-mortem examination be conducted, whether or not an inquest is held, particularly if the cause of death is not clear. In many cases a post-mortem examination is conducted in order to determine whether or not an inquest is necessary.  Other post-mortem examinations are held which are not ordered by the coroner.  Details of these are collected by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).  See the further information section below for details of how to obtain statistics on this and other related topics. 

## Inquests

A coroner must hold an inquest if the body of a person ('the deceased') lies within his or her district4 and if he or she has reasonable cause to suspect that the deceased: (a) died a violent or unnatural death; (b) died a sudden death the cause of which is unknown; or (c) died in prison or in such place or in such circumstances as to require an inquest under any other Act. The holding of an inquest requires the coroner to determine: (a) who the deceased was; (b) how, when and where the deceased came by his or her death, and any further particulars necessary to enable the death to be registered. 

Verdicts are returned in nearly all coroners' inquests.  The exceptions are those inquests adjourned by the coroner which he or she later decides not to resume, and are mainly inquests into deaths by unlawful killing and deaths by dangerous driving or careless driving when under the influence of alcohol or drugs, in which court proceedings have been instituted.  This avoids the need for two tribunals to consider the same evidence.  A 
"narrative verdict" is where the coroner makes a brief and factual statement at the conclusion of the inquest but does not return one of the suggested short-form verdicts. 

## Timeliness Of Inquests

For the purpose of determining the timeliness of inquests, the time taken to conduct an inquest is deemed to be from the day the death was reported to the coroner until either (a) the day the inquest is concluded by the delivery of a verdict or (b) the day the coroner certifies that an adjourned inquest will not be resumed. The average time for an inquest to be conducted is estimated in the following way: Coroners are asked in their annual return to state how many inquests were concluded within certain time periods.  There are five time 
                                            
bands, which are: within one month; 1-3 months; 3-6 months; 6-12 months; 
and over 12 months. All the inquests falling within a time-band are then assumed to have been completed at or near the mid-point of the various time-bands for the purposes of calculating the average, although inquests within the "under one month" band are assumed to have taken 3 weeks for this purpose of this estimation, and those inquests taking over a year to conclude were deemed to have taken 18 months, although the time-band itself is open-ended. Numbers are then aggregated and the average figure (in weeks) calculated in the normal way. Only deaths occurring within England and Wales are included in the calculation.  Statistics are not collected on the time taken for inquests where the death occurred outside England and Wales. Deaths occurring abroad are often significantly delayed because of the difficulty, for example, of obtaining reports from other countries. 

## Juries

Nearly all inquests are held by a coroner sitting alone, without a jury.  A jury must be summoned where the death occurred: (a) in prison, or in such a place or such circumstances as to require an inquest under another Act; (b) in police custody, or resulted from an injury caused by a police officer in the purported execution of his or her duty; (c) where there are certain statutory reporting obligations under the Health and Safety Act 1974 or any other Act, and in certain other circumstances, especially where there may be a continuing or recurring danger to the public. 

## Treasure And Treasure Trove

In addition to inquiring into certain deaths, coroners also have jurisdiction to inquire into any treasure which is found in their districts and to establish who were the finders. With the commencement of the Treasure Act 1996 on 24 September 1997 inquests into finds which previously might have been declared treasure trove are supplemented by those now conducted to determine whether finds made on or after that date are treasure. 

## Registered Deaths

All deaths in England and Wales must be registered with the Registrar of Births and Deaths. The term 'registered deaths' in this bulletin refers to deaths registered within a specific time period (in this case, calendar years). Statistics on registered deaths in England and Wales are published by the ONS in their series on mortality statistics, and in their publication Health Statistics Quarterly. At the time of going to press, figures had been published for the number of registered deaths in the first three quarters of 2009, but not for the full year as a whole.  Provisional statistics on the total number of registered deaths in 2009 will not be available until late May 2010, after publication of this bulletin, and final figures not until July 2010. In the interim period, therefore, an estimate of 500,100 was derived by adding the number of registered deaths in the final quarter of *2008* to the provisional total for the first three quarters of 2009. 

## Revisions To Statistics For Previous Years

The provisional figure for the number of registered deaths in 2008 in Table 2 has been replaced by an actual figure. Table 8 incorporates a revision to the number of finds reported to coroners in 2004 under the Treasure Act 1996. The coroner for the county of Suffolk stated that the coroner for Lowestoft (which was in 2004 a separate district) had incorrectly reported the number of Treasure Act inquests concluded in 2004 as 60 instead of four. 

## Further Notes

Prior to 1 June 2005, policy responsibility for H.M. Coroners lay with the Home Office, but on that date it passed to the Department for Constitutional Affairs as part of machinery of government changes following the 2005 general election. Responsibility now lies with the Ministry of Justice, which was created on 9 May 2007. Further information on deaths occurring annually in England and Wales is published by the Office for National Statistics in their Mortality Statistics series (DH1, DH2, etc.); these may be downloaded from their website at www.statistics.gov.uk. Prior to the transfer of responsibility, the Home Office published statistical bulletins based on coroners' annual returns, since 1980.  The last four bulletins published in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin series were as follows: for year 2003, bulletin 9/04; for 2002, bulletin 6/03; for 2001, bulletin 3/02; and for year 2000, bulletin 7/01. These may be found at: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pubsstatistical.html. 

 
Although care is taken in completing and analysing the returns used to compile the figures in this bulletin, the figures are of necessity subject to possible inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale collection of this type.  For this reason, figures may not be accurate to the final digit.  In the text, numbers have been rounded, usually to the nearest 100, although some smaller figures may be given exactly.   

## Contact Points For Further Information

Current and previous editions of this publication are available for download at www.justice.gov.uk/publications/coronersannual.htm. A spreadsheet file of the statistics tables in this bulletin are also available for download from this address. Press enquiries should be directed to the Ministry of Justice press office: 
Tel: 020 3334 3573 Email: andrew.chiles@justice.gsi.gov.uk 


Other enquiries about these statistics should be directed to: 
 
Richard Allen Ministry of Justice 
7th Floor (7.18) 102 Petty France London SW1H 9AJ Tel: 020 3334 3737 Email: statistics.enquiries@justice.gsi.gov.uk 
 
A copy of the data collection form which was sent to coroners can be obtained via the contact details above. 

An extended version of Table 10, showing inquest verdicts by district broken down by males and females, can be found in the spreadsheet file of the statistics tables on the Ministry of Justice website via the web address at the top of this page. User feedback would be welcome on the continuing relevance of the statistics included in this table. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport's annual reports on the Treasure Act 1996 may be found on their website: www.culture.gov.uk. 

General enquiries about the statistical work of the Ministry of Justice can be e-mailed to: statistics.enquiries@justice.gsi.gov.uk. Other National Statistics publications, and general information about the official statistics system of the UK, are available from www.statistics.gov.uk. 

##