Coroners statistics 2016: England and Wales
Source: data.gov.uk (2018-05-25)

Coroners Statistics. This annual bulletin presents statistics on the workload of coroners in England and Wales. Information is provided on the number of deaths reported to coroners, post-mortem examinations and inquests held and conclusions recorded at inquests. It also covers treasure finds reported to coroners, treasure inquests held under the Treasure Act, and proportion of treasure verdicts returned. The data are collected via annual statistical returns completed by coroners.

Data on deaths reported to the coroner are available by gender, age (of deceased with an inquest conclusion recorded) and coroner area. Information is also available on deaths in state detention (including those individuals subject Deprivation of Liberty orders), inquest conclusions and deaths abroad.

1 
 
 
Coroners Statistics Annual 
2016 
England and Wales 
 
Ministry of Justice 
Statistics bulletin  
 
 
 
 
Published 11 May 2017 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 
2
Contents 
Contents 
2 
Introduction 
3 
Key Findings 
7 
1: Deaths reported 
8 
2: Post-mortem examinations held and inquests opened 
9 
3: Inquests Completed 
15 
4: Treasure and Treasure Trove 
24 
Annex A: Map of coroner areas in England and Wales, 2015 
26 
Annex B: Details of recent coroner area amalgamations 
28 
Annex C: Further analysis of deaths reported to coroners 
29 
Explanatory notes 
32 
Contacts 
33 
 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 
3
Introduction 
This annual bulletin presents statistics of deaths reported to coroners in 
England and Wales in 2016. Information is provided on the number of deaths 
reported to coroners, post-mortem examinations and inquests held, and 
conclusions recorded at inquests. The data are collected via statistical returns 
completed by coroners. For previous editions of this report, please see: 
www.gov.uk/government/collections/coroners-and-burials-statistics 
This publication should be read alongside the statistical tables which 
accompany it, also found via the link above. There is also a supporting 
comma-separated values (CSV) file to allow users to carry out their own 
analysis. 
In addition to the bulletin and tables, we have published a coroners’ statistical 
tool (also available at the link above). The tool provides easier access to local 
level data and allows the user to compare up to four areas of interest, for 
example, it is possible to compare a coroner area with a geographical region, 
England or Wales. 
The accompanying guide to coroner statistics provides a more detailed 
overview of coroners; including the functions of coroners and the chief 
coroner, policy background and changes, statistical revision policies, and data 
sources and quality. The guide also includes a glossary providing brief 
definitions for some of the terms used in this bulletin. 
The Explanatory Notes section at the end of this bulletin provides information 
about statistical revisions, and the symbols and conventions used. 
If you have any feedback, questions or requests for further information about 
the bulletin, please direct them to the appropriate contact given at the end of 
this report. 
The legislation 
Coroner services in England and Wales are governed by Part 1 of the 
Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (the 2009 Act), as well as the rules and 
regulations made under it. The 2009 Act came into force in July 2013, largely 
replacing the Coroners Act 19881 (the 1988 Act). 
The 2009 Act and its rules and regulations can be accessed via the links 
below: 
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/25/contents  
                                            
1 The Coroners Act 1988 was repealed in July 2013 with the exceptions of section 13 (application for a 
fresh coroner investigation or inquest) and 4A (8) (a coroner in Wales being regarded as a coroner for 
the whole of Wales). 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 
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www.legislation.gov.uk/2013?title=coroners 
 
Related statistics 
All deaths in England and Wales must be registered with the Registrar of 
Births and Deaths. For those deaths where a coroner conducts an inquest, the 
death will be registered at the conclusion of the inquest, and the cause of 
death classified according to the conclusion recorded by the coroner.  
Statistics on registered deaths in England and Wales are published by the 
Office for National Statistics (ONS) in their series on mortality statistics. These 
can be accessed from the ONS website at:  
www.ons.gov.uk/ons/taxonomy/index.html?nscl=Mortality+Rates  
The Ministry of Justice's coroner statistics differ from ONS figures because 
they count two different, albeit related, events. The Ministry of Justice’s 
coroner statistics provide the number of deaths which are reported to coroners 
in England and Wales. These include deaths reported to coroners which 
occurred outside England and Wales. The ONS mortality statistics, based on 
death registrations, report the number of deaths registered in England and 
Wales in a particular year irrespective of whether a coroner has investigated 
the death. These do not include deaths that occurred outside England and 
Wales.  
The proportion of deaths which are reported to coroners has been estimated 
using death registration figures published by ONS. Estimates for 2016 have 
been calculated using ONS' monthly provisional figures on death registrations, 
while percentages for 2015 and earlier years have been calculated using final 
annual death registration figures for the relevant year. Additionally, ONS 
counts deaths when they have been registered whilst coroners count deaths 
when they are reported.  There can be considerable delay between the date 
when the death occurred and when the death is registered. Deaths reported to 
a coroner would not be added to the deaths register until the coroner has 
concluded their investigation.  Therefore it is advised that caution is used 
when using these figures. 
This publication includes figures for deaths reported to coroners which 
occurred in state custody.  Statistics on deaths in prison custody are also 
published by Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), 
previously the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), accessible 
via the following link: 
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/safety-in-custody-statistics 
Differences between the two sets of figures are in part due to a time lag in 
reporting processes. The figures for deaths in custody in this publication relate 
to those deaths when they have been reported to a coroner in the given year 
and then reported to MoJ, whereas for the HMPPS publication, deaths are 
recorded directly after they have occurred. HMPPS figures includes all deaths 
which have occurred in prison custody and those which occurred whilst the 
offender was released on temporary licence for medical reasons. 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 
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This publication also includes figures on deaths reported to coroners of 
individuals detained under the Mental Health Act (MHA) – similar statistics are 
published by the Care Quality Commission (CQC)2. Differences between the 
two sets of figures are likely to be due to a time lag in reporting processes: 
coroners are required to conduct an investigation within six months of the 
death being reported to them whilst the CQC receives reports of all deaths of 
individuals detained under the MHA in a particular year. In addition, not all 
deaths reported to the CQC are reported to a coroner.  The CQC also 
publishes information on the number of deprivation of liberty safeguards 
applications in their ‘State of Care’ annual report3.  
This publication includes the number of deaths with a conclusion of suicide 
recorded at inquest - statistics on suicide deaths are also published by the 
ONS4. The ‘ONS Suicide Statistics UK’ series uses the national statistics’ 
definition of suicide: deaths given an underlying cause of intentional self-harm 
or an injury/poisoning of undetermined intent.  In 2016, this definition has 
been modified to include deaths from intentional self-harm in 10- to 14-year-
old children in addition to deaths from intentional self-harm and events of 
undetermined intent in people aged 15 and over.  
 
 
 
 
                                            
2 The Care Quality Commission (CQC) annual report on Monitoring the Mental Health Act can 
be found here: www.cqc.org.uk/content/monitoring-mental-health-act-report 
3 The annual CQC State of Care report can be found here: www.cqc.org.uk/content/state-of-
care. 
4 For more on ONS Suicide please visit: 
www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/s
uicidesintheunitedkingdom/previousReleases 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 
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Date of next publication 
The next edition of the annual Coroners Statistics is scheduled to be 
published in May 2018, covering statistics for calendar year 2017. 
 
Users of the statistics 
The main users of these statistics are coroners and Ministers and officials in 
central government to assist in developing coroners’ policy and its subsequent 
monitoring. Other users include the Chief Coroner, local authorities (who are 
responsible for appointing and paying coroners as well as funding their 
services), other central government departments, and those non-
governmental bodies, including various voluntary organisations, with an 
interest in coroners and inquests. The statistics are used to monitor the 
volume and types of cases dealt with by coroners in England and Wales each 
year. 
 
 
 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 
7
Key Findings 
 241,211 deaths were reported to coroners in 2016, the highest to date. 
This shows an increase of 4,805 (2%) from 2015, reflecting the increase in 
the number of deaths under Deprivation of Liberty Safeguard (DoLS) 
authorisations reported to coroners.  
 Just under half (46%) of all registered deaths6 were reported to coroners in 
2016, up one percentage point on 2015. Over the last ten years, this 
proportion has been generally stable, within the range of 45% to 47%. 
 In 2016, there were 11,376 deaths of individuals subject to DoLS 
authorisations, 4,193 more than in 2015 (up 58%) reflecting the increase in 
the number of active DoLS over the same period.  
 Deaths in state detention (excluding DoLs) increased by 19%, to 574 
deaths being reported to coroners in 2016, with the largest increase seen 
in deaths while detained under the Mental Health Act (252 in 2016, up 
34%) and deaths in prison custody (298, up 14%). 
 The number of inquests opened in 2016 increased by 5,769 (up 18%) to 
38,626, driven by the increase in deaths while subject to DoLS. All such 
cases require an inquest.  
 There were 86,545 post-mortem examinations ordered by coroners in 
2016, 36% of all cases reported to them. This is down two percentage 
points since 2015, consistent with the long-term downward trend.  
 In 2016, 40,504 total inquest conclusions were recorded, up 14% on 2015, 
reflecting in part the rise in the number of inquests opened.   
 Three of the inquest short form conclusions account for almost 68% of all 
conclusions recorded. These are natural causes (39%) accident and 
misadventure (19%) and suicide (9%). A further 12% were in the 
‘unclassified’ inquest conclusion category.  
 Inquest conclusions of natural causes were up 45% on 2015 to 15,962, 
driven by the majority of DoLS cases having an inquest conclusion of 
natural causes.  
 The two inquest conclusions introduced in 2013, ‘Drugs/Alcohol Related’ 
and ‘Road Traffic Collision’, have both increased on 2015, up 10% to 
2,503 and 16% to 900, respectively.  
 In 2016, post-mortem examinations were conducted in 47% of inquest 
cases, down 9 percentage points on 2015, driven by the increase in 
deaths of individuals subject to DoLS authorisation.  
 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 
8
1: Deaths reported 
The number of deaths reported to coroners in 2016 rose by 4,805 (2%) to 
241,211, the highest to date. In comparison, ONS registered deaths fell by 
4,932 from 2015 to 2016 (down 1%)5. The proportion of registered deaths in 
2016 that were reported to coroners was 46%, up one percentage point from 
2015. 
Figure 1: Registered deaths and deaths reported to coroners, England 
and Wales, 2004-2016 
 
Over the last decade, the number of registered deaths in England and Wales 
initially dropped from 502,599 in 2006 to a low of 484,367 in 2014. It 
increased to 529,655 in 2015 with the 2016 provisional figures standing at 
524,723. The number of deaths reported to coroners followed a similar trend, 
with 230,007 deaths reported in 2006, falling to a low of 222,371 in 2011 and 
then rising to a high of 241,211 in 2016. 
                                            
5 Provisional figure based on ONS monthly death registration figures for 2016 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 
9
2: Post-mortem examinations held and inquests 
opened 
Post-mortem examinations were held for 86,545 deaths reported to coroners 
in 2016, down 2,661 (3%) from 2015. 
Post-mortem examinations were ordered by coroners in 36% of all deaths 
reported to them in 2016, down two percentage points on 2015, and 
consistent with the existing long-term downward trend. Since 1995, the 
proportion of post-mortem examinations ordered has decreased by 25 
percentage points, from 61% to 36% (see Table 3). 
There were 38,626 inquests opened in 2016, an increase of 18% on 2015, 
driven by the increase in deaths of individuals subject to DoLS authorisations, 
as all such cases require an inquest6.  
Inquest cases represented 16% of all the deaths reported to coroners in 2016, 
an increase of two percentage points on 2015.  
Figure 2: Post-mortems and inquests as a percentage of deaths reported 
to coroners, England and Wales, 2004-2016 
 
                                            
6 More information on DoLS can be found in the section of the Guide to Coroners Statistics published 
alongside this bulletin. 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 10 
 
Map 1: Post-mortems held as a proportion of deaths reported to 
coroners, England and Wales, 2016 
 
 
 
The proportion of post-mortems carried out varies from 21% in North 
Lincolnshire and Grimsby to 62% in Isle of Wight.   
 
 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 11 
Map 2: Inquests opened as a proportion of deaths reported to coroners, 
England and Wales, 2016 
 
 
  
 
The proportion of inquests carried out varies from 8% in Stoke-on-Trent and 
North Staffordshire to 40% in North Tyneside.  
 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 12 
Post-mortem examinations in inquest cases 
When an inquest is opened, a post-mortem examination will usually be 
conducted. In 2016, just under half (47%) of inquest cases involved a post-
mortem, down 9 percentage points on 2015, driven by the increase in deaths 
of individuals subject to DoLS authorisation. – all such cases require an 
inquest, with the majority recording an inquest conclusion of natural causes; a 
post-mortem examination is therefore unlikely to be required to determine the 
cause of death and the inquest may well be a ‘paper’ inquest.   
Historically, it was quite rare for an inquest to be opened without a post-
mortem; however, since 1999 this proportion had been gradually increasing, 
with sharp increases seen in the last two years. In 2016, 53% of all inquests 
had no post-mortem, compared with 44% in 2015 and 24% in 2014. This may 
be attributed to the provisions in the Coroners Act 2009 which came into effect 
in July 2013, allowing a coroner to conduct a brief investigation prior to 
making a decision on whether to hold a formal inquest. These are captured in 
the potential inquest cases below.  
Post-mortems in non-inquest cases 
In the majority (81%) of cases referred to coroners, there is no inquest. In 
2016, there were 62,828 non-inquest cases where a post-mortem was held. 
The percentage of non-inquest cases that required a post-mortem has fallen 
from 34% in 2015 to 32% in 2016, continuing the steady downward trend 
seen since the beginning of the time series (56% in 1995). 
Post-mortems in potential inquest cases 
Prior to July 2013, cases were either categorised as ‘inquest’ or ‘non-inquest’ 
cases. Changes in the way coroners are able to conduct an investigation 
mean that there is now a third category of ‘potential inquest’ cases. This 
means that the coroner is investigating the death, but has not yet decided 
whether it is necessary to hold an inquest. Depending on whether or not the 
coroner deems it necessary to hold an inquest, these cases will all eventually 
end up in either the ‘inquest’ or ‘non-inquest’ category.  
In 2016, there were 6,417 potential inquest cases being dealt with by coroners 
in England and Wales, with 85% requiring a post-mortem. 
Cases requiring neither an inquest nor a post-mortem 
There were 133,101 cases reported to coroners where there was neither an 
inquest nor a post-mortem. This type of case has generally been increasing in 
number over the years, from 81,701 in 1995 to 132,029 in 2015, with a 1% 
increase from 2015 to 2016. The proportion of cases where there was neither 
an inquest nor a post-mortem examination has increased from 66% in 2015 to 
68% in 2016, after remaining at 66% since 2012. This continues the upward 
trend seen prior to 2012, from 44% in 1995 when the time series began.  

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 13 
Post-mortem rates, histology7 and toxicology8 
Post-mortem examinations can be classed as either standard or non-
standard, depending on the cost of the examination. A non-standard post-
mortem is charged at a higher rate than a standard post-mortem and is 
defined as a post-mortem which requires special skills. A non-standard post-
mortem could, for example, require a paediatric or specialist pathologist. In 
2016, almost all (95%) of post-mortems were ordered at a standard rate - this 
has remained at the same level since 2011. 
In 2016, 23% (19,558) of all post-mortems included histology, an increase 
from 21% (18,659) in 2015. Post-mortems including toxicology also increased 
over the same period to 16,091 (up 9%), with 19% of all post-mortems held in 
2016 including toxicology. This follows the steady rising trend seen since 
2011.  
Out of England and Wales Orders  
To remove a body of a deceased person out of England and Wales, notice 
must be given to the coroner within whose area the body is lying. When the 
coroner gives permission for the removal of a body, an Out of England and 
Wales order is issued. 
Coroners issued 5,738 Out of England and Wales orders in 2016, compared 
with 5,339 issued in 2015. In both years, the number of orders issued 
represented 2% of the total number of deaths reported to coroners – this 
proportion has been stable at this level since 2011 (see Table 5). 
Deaths abroad 
Of the 241,211 deaths reported to coroners in 2016, around 1% (1,849) were 
reports of deaths that had occurred outside England and Wales. This 
percentage has remained stable since 2011.  
Deaths in State Detention 
In 2016, a total of 11,950 deaths which occurred in state detention were 
reported to coroners9, an increase of 4,283 deaths (56%) on the previous year 
and representing 5% of all deaths reported to coroners.  
In 2016, there were 11,376 deaths of individuals subject to DoLS 10 
authorisations, up from 7,183 in 2015.  Deaths of individuals subject to DoLS 
authorisations accounted for 95% of all deaths in state in detention in 2016.  
                                            
7 Histology in the context of post-mortems is the examination of tissues under a microscope. 
8 Toxicology in the context of post-mortems is the study of body fluids and tissues for the detection of 
drugs. 
9 This data only represents deaths in custody which were referred to a coroner and subsequently 
reported to MoJ in the coroner’s annual return. 
10 See the Guide to Coroners Statistics published alongside this bulletin for more information on DoLS. 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 14 
Figure A below shows that the inclusion of deaths of individuals subject to 
DoLS authorisations within the number of deaths in state detention has 
distorted the long-term trend.  However, the trend in deaths in state detention 
excluding DoLS is in line with that seen previously and within the Safety in 
Custody statistics quarterly bulletin (see ‘Related statistics’ section above). 
 
Figure 3: Number of deaths in state detention, by type of detention, 
2011-2015 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 15 
3: Inquests Completed 
There were 40,504 inquests conclusions recorded in 2016, up by 5,031 (14%) 
from 2015, in part reflecting the increase in the number of inquests opened. 
This is the highest number of inquest conclusions recorded since the series 
began in 1995. 
As in previous years, in 2016 the most common short form conclusions (by 
order of frequency) were death from natural causes (15,962 or 39%) and 
death by accident or misadventure (7,692 or 19%) and suicide (3,789 or 9%). 
Unclassified conclusions (which include narrative verdicts) made up 12% 
(5,030) of all inquest conclusions in 2016. 
 
Figure 4: Number of conclusions recorded at inquests, England and 
Wales, 2004-2016 
 
*Killed unlawfully, Killed lawfully, Attempted or self-induced abortion, Cause of death aggravated by lack of care, or 
self-neglect, Want of attention at birth, Stillborn, Disasters, Open, Industrial Diseases, Drugs/Alcohol Related11, Road 
traffic collision  
The recent (2015 and 2016) increases seen in natural causes, are driven by 
deaths of individuals subject to DoLS authorisations, where the majority (94%) 
had an inquest conclusion of natural causes.  Historically, natural cause 
conclusions had been gradually increasing to a peak of 8,881 in 2013, and as 
                                            
11 For years 2004-2013, this includes the previously used conclusions “Dependence on Drugs” and 
“Non-dependence on Drugs” 
 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 16 
a proportion, accounted for 25-30% of all inquest conclusions (between 2006 
and 2013). In 2014 it almost halved (down 45%), to 4,873 (17% of all inquest 
conclusions). This was driven by the Coroners Act 2009 coming into force in 
July 2013 which meant coroners could issue death certificate without an 
inquest if the death was from natural causes.  
Figure 5 below shows the time series of natural cause inquest conclusions 
when including or excluding DoLs. In total, natural conclusions made up 31% 
and 39% of all inquest conclusions in 2015 and 2016.  However, when 
excluding the DoLs cases, natural causes only made up 12% and 13% of all 
inquest conclusions respectively, suggesting the continued impact of the 
Coroner Act 2009 reforms.    
Figure 5: Number of conclusions recorded at inquests, England and 
Wales, 2004-2016 
 
 
In 2016, the number of unclassified conclusions increased by 160 cases (up 
3%) to 5,030, continuing the long term increasing trend seen from 2000 to 
2013 and showing a reversal of the decreases seen in 2014 and 2015 in this 
category.   
The rise in unclassified conclusions seen until 2014 is partly due to the 
increasing use of what are known as ‘narrative conclusions’ by some 
coroners. In these cases, the conclusion is recorded as unclassified. As well 
as narrative conclusions, this category includes short non-standard 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 17 
conclusions which a coroner or jury might return when the circumstances do 
not easily fit any of the standard conclusions12.  
For the remaining conclusion types, drugs and alcohol related cases 
increased by 236 cases (up 10%) to 2,503 and road traffic collisions by 121 
cases (up 16%) to 900. These two categories were added as short form 
conclusions in Coroner Statistics 2014, resulting in the large increase seen in 
figure 4, for the ‘all other conclusion’ group.  
Open conclusions have been decreasing over the same period, particularly 
over the last few years - they accounted for 4% in 2016 compared with 9% in 
2006.  
Figure 6 shows the proportion changes in inquest conclusions between 2015 
and 2016. The natural cause inquest conclusion has had the largest shift, 
increasing its share by 8 percentage points compared to 2015.  Both suicide 
and accident and misadventure inquest conclusions showed slight decreases 
when compared to 2015, down 2 and 3 percentage points respectively.   
 
 
                                            
12 An analysis on unclassified conclusions can be found in the Coroners Statistics 2012 publication 
(Annex A), available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/coroners-statistics  

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 18 
Figure 6: Conclusions recorded at inquest, by category and as a 
proportion of all conclusions, England and Wales, 2015 and 201613 14 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                            
13 Figures may not equal 100% due to rounding. 
14 All other conclusions (including Killed unlawfully, Killed lawfully, Attempted or self-induced abortion, 
Cause of death aggravated by lack of care, or self-neglect, Stillborn) were not included in the chart as 
they represented less than 1% of the short-form conclusions  

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 19 
Map 3: Suicide conclusions as a proportion of all inquest conclusions, 
England and Wales, 2016 
 
 
 
The proportion of conclusions recorded as suicide varies from 1% in 
Portsmouth and South East Hampshire and Gateshead and South Tyneside 
to 25% in East Sussex.   
 
Differences in conclusions recorded by gender 
The pattern of conclusions recorded differs between males and females. Male 
deaths accounted for 57% of all conclusions recorded in 2016, however they 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 20 
accounted for 54% of deaths reported; this suggests that males are more 
likely to die in circumstances that lead to an inquest. Female deaths 
accounted for 43% of all conclusions recorded in 2016 (and 46% of all deaths 
reported).  
Figure 6 shows the variation in the gender proportions, depending on the type 
on inquest conclusion. Industrial disease had the highest proportion of males, 
at 92% and natural causes had the highest proportion of females, with 59%.  
Figure 7: Conclusions recorded at inquests by gender, England and 
Wales, 2016 
 
*Killed unlawfully, Killed lawfully, Attempted or self-induced abortion, Stillborn, Neglect, Want of Attention at Birth, and 
Disaster 
 
Age of deceased in inquests where a conclusion was recorded 
Since 2008, coroners have been asked to provide information (in summary 
form) on the ages of persons in inquest cases where a conclusion was 
recorded. Of the inquests completed in 2016, 66% related to persons who 
were aged 65 years or over at time of death compared with 5% related to 
persons under 25 years of age (see Table 8). Although an age breakdown of 
registered deaths in England and Wales in 2016 is not yet available, ONS 
figures for 2015 show that 85% of registered deaths in England and Wales 
were persons aged 65 or over, with only 1% aged under 25 years old. 
The profile of the age of deceased at inquests has changed slightly from 2015 
to 2016. The percentage of inquests completed relating to persons aged 65 or 
over has increased from 61% to 66%, while the percentage of those between 
25 and 65 years has fallen from 34% to 30%. This may be due to the increase 
in the number of deaths of individuals subject to DoLS authorisations, all of 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 21 
which require an inquest and may predominantly relate to the older 
population. 
Figure 8: Age of deceased in inquests where a conclusion was recorded, 
England and Wales, 201615 
 
 
Inquests with juries and adjourned inquests  
There were 576 inquests held with juries in 2016 (representing 1% of all 
inquests), an increase of 119 compared to 2015.  
The number of inquests held with juries showed a downward trend until 2013, 
but it has increased year on year since 2014 to the highest level since 2003. 
This mirrors the upward trend in the number of inquests held and the more 
recent upward trend in deaths in state detention. The proportion of inquests 
held with juries has however remained stable at between 1% and 2% over the 
last eleven years (see Table 9). 
In 2016, 753 inquests were adjourned (and not resumed) by the coroner 
under Schedule 116 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 because criminal 
proceedings took place. This represents 2% of all inquests concluded, the 
same proportion as 2013 to 2015, and slightly less than in earlier years - 
around 3% since 2006. 
                                            
15 The ‘age not known’ category has been excluded from the chart due to small numbers (less than 
0.5%). Totals may not add up to 100% due to rounding. 
16 Schedule 1 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 states that the coroner should adjourn an inquest in 
the event that criminal proceedings may or will take place. 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 22 
 
Time taken to process an inquest 
The estimated17 average time taken to process an inquest in 2016 (defined as 
being from the date the death was reported until the conclusion of the inquest) 
was 18 weeks (see Table 13)18, a reduction of two week compared to 2015. 
This can largely be attributed to DoLS where, in accordance with the Chief 
Coroner’s guidance, in uncontroversial cases, an inquest can be a ‘paper 
inquest’, i.e. decided in open court but on papers without the needs for 
witnesses or a post-mortem. 
The time taken to process an inquest varies by coroner area - the maximum 
average time taken to process an inquest in 2016 was 40 weeks, and the 
minimum average time was 5 weeks. The large range of average time (35 
weeks – based on 5 and 40 weeks) could be due to the fact that coroners’ 
caseloads can vary greatly and a direct comparison between coroner areas is 
therefore not advised. 
More information about how the average time taken has been estimated can 
be found in the explanatory notes section of this report.   
                                            
17 A direct average of the time taken to process an inquest cannot be calculated from the summary data 
collected; an estimate has been made instead.  Please see the explanatory notes section of this report 
for more information.   
18 Only deaths occurring within England and Wales are included in this estimation. 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 23 
Map 4: Estimated average time taken to process inquests, England and 
Wales, 2016 
 
 
 
The average time taken to process an inquest varies from 5 weeks in 
Hartlepool to 40 weeks in Isle of Wight.   
 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 24 
4: Treasure and Treasure Trove 
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. For more information please see: 
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/24/contents 
In 2016, 804 finds were reported and 341 inquests were concluded.  In 
addition, there were two inquests held into Treasure Trove in 2016 (relating to 
finds made before the current Act came into force), and it is likely that a few 
such inquests will continue to be held from time to time. 
The number of finds reported was steadily increasing over the last ten years 
but decreased slightly to 804 in 2016 from the peak of 810 in 2015 (down 1%). 
Of those 341 inquests concluded in 2016, 96% (326) returned a verdict of 
treasure, the same proportion as in 2015. 
An annual report on the operation of the Treasure Act 1996 is published by 
the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. For more information please 
see: 
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-culture-media-
sport/series/treasure-and-portable-antiquities-statistics 
Figure 9: Finds reported to coroners, treasure inquests held under the 
Treasure Act, and proportion of treasure verdicts returned, 2004-201619 
 
                                            
19 This chart does not include reported findings under “Treasure Trove”  

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 25 
 
Map 5: Number of treasure finds reported to coroners, England and 
Wales, 2016 
 
 
 
Thirty coroner areas had no treasure finds reported to them.  Suffolk had the 
highest number of treasure finds at 77.  

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 26 
Annex A: Map of coroner areas in England and Wales, 
2016 
 
 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 27 
Key to coroner areas 
North East 
101 – County Durham and Darlington 
103 – Hartlepool  
104 – North Northumberland 
105 – South Northumberland 
106 – Teesside 
107 – Gateshead and South Tyneside 
108 – Newcastle upon Tyne 
109 – North Tyneside 
110 – Sunderland 
 
 
North West 
201 – Cheshire 
203 – Cumbria 
205 – Manchester (city) 
206 – Manchester North 
207 – Manchester South  
208 – Manchester West 
209 – Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley 
210 – Blackpool and Fylde 
211 – East Lancashire 
212 – Preston and West Lancashire 
213 – Sefton, Knowsley and St Helens 
214 – Liverpool and the Wirral 
 
Yorkshire and the Humber 
301 – East Riding and Hull 
302 – North Lincolnshire and Grimsby 
303 – York City 
304 – North Yorkshire - East 
305 – North Yorkshire - West 
306 – South Yorkshire - East 
307 – South Yorkshire - West 
308 – West Yorkshire - East 
309 – West Yorkshire - West 
 
East Midlands 
401 – Derby and Derbyshire 
403 – Leicester and South Leicestershire 
404 – North Leicestershire and Rutland 
406 – Central Lincolnshire 
408 – South Lincolnshire 
409 – Northamptonshire 
410 – Nottinghamshire 
 
West Midlands 
501 – Herefordshire 
502 – Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin 
504 – Staffordshire South 
505 – Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire 
507 – Warwickshire 
508 – Birmingham and Solihull 
509 – Black Country 
510 – Coventry 
512 – Worcestershire 
East of England 
601 – Bedfordshire and Luton  
602 – Cambridgeshire and Peterborough 
604 – Essex 
605 – Hertfordshire 
607 – Norfolk 
611 – Suffolk 
 
 
London 
701 – City of London [not visible] 
702 – East London 
703 – Inner London North 
704 – Inner London South 
705 – Inner London West 
706 – North London 
707 – South London 
708 – West London 
 
South East 
801 – Berkshire 
802 – Brighton and Hove 
803 – Buckinghamshire 
804 – East Sussex 
805 – Central Hampshire 
806 – North East Hampshire 
807 – Portsmouth and South East Hampshire 
808 – Southampton and New Forest 
809 – Isle of Wight 
810 – Central and South East Kent 
811 – Mid Kent and Medway 
812 – North East Kent 
813 – North West Kent 
814 – Milton Keynes 
815 – Oxfordshire 
816 – Surrey 
817 – West Sussex 
 
South West 
901 – Avon 
902 – Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 
903 – Exeter and Greater Devon 
904 – Plymouth, Torbay and South Devon 
906 – Dorset 
908 – Gloucestershire 
910 –Somerset 
912 – Wiltshire and Swindon 
 
Wales 
1001 – South Central Wales 
1003 – Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire 
1004 – North Wales (East and Central) 
1005 – Ceredigion 
1006 – Gwent 
1007 – Swansea and Neath Port Talbot 
1009 – North West Wales

28 
Annex B: Details of recent coroner area 
amalgamations 
The following table summarises the coroner area amalgamations that have 
occurred since the 2014. Coroner areas formed during 2016 are reported on 
by their new areas within this bulletin.  
 
Date 
effective 
Previous coroner area 
New coroner area 
Nature of 
merge 
01-Jan-15 
North and West Cumbria; South and 
East Cumbria 
Cumbria 
2 into 1 
02-Apr-15 
Liverpool; the Wirral 
Liverpool and the 
Wirral 
2 into 1 
01-Aug-15 
North and East Cambridgeshire; South 
and West Cambridgeshire; 
Peterborough 
Cambridgeshire and 
Peterborough 
3 into 1 
01-Apr-16 
East Somerset; West Somerset 
Somerset20 
2 into 1 
01-Apr-16 
Cornwall; the Isles of Scilly 
Cornwall and the 
Isles of Scilly  
2 into 1 
01-Apr-16 
Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan; Powys, 
Bridgend & Glamorgan Valleys;  
 
South Wales Central 
2 into 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                            
20 In 2015 a coroner data return was received from Somerset coroner area, even though 
this area did not officially come into force until 1st April 2016. Therefore it was not possible 
to report on East Somerset and West Somerset coroner areas individually in 2015, even 
though they were officially separate Coroners Areas during this year. 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 29 
Annex C: Further analysis of deaths reported to 
coroners 
The number of deaths reported to coroners in 2016 varied by coroner area – 
from 218 in City of London to 7,100 in Essex. The number of deaths 
reported in each area will be affected by its size, population and 
demographic breakdown so comparisons of deaths reported to the coroner 
across coroner areas should be treated with caution. 
Figure C1: Number of deaths reported to coroners, 2016 
 
 
 
When looking at the number of deaths reported to coroners in 2016 as a 
proportion of registered deaths21, which allow for some differences in 
population characteristics, there is still a wide variation across coroner areas 
e.g. 28% in East Lancashire compared to 96% in Stoke-on-Trent and North 
Staffordshire. However, caution should be taken when using these figures 
as local area factors can influence these proportions. For example large 
hospitals near boundary lines can impact the proportion, due to the 
difference between the coroners figures being based on the place of death 
and the ONS figures being based on the place of residence.   
                                            
21 As the ONS death registration figures are based on area of usual residence whereas the coroners’ 
figures are based on the area where a person died, these figures should be used with caution. For 
example, the coroner office for the City of London shows a distorted figure of 532% due to the low 
levels of residence and high level of commuters. 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 30 
Map C below shows deaths reported in each coroner area in 2016 as a 
percentage of the total registered deaths in each area 22. 
Map C: Deaths reported to coroners as a percentage of total registered 
deaths in each area23, England and Wales, 2016 
 
 
                                            
22 The registered deaths figure for 2016 is provisional, based on ONS monthly death registration 
figures 
23 The ONS death registration figures are based on area of usual residence whereas the coroners’ 
figures are based on the area where a person died. Therefore the coroner office for the City of 
London shows a distorted figure of 532% due to the low levels of residence and high level of 
commuters.  

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 31 
The proportion of deaths reported to the coroner varies from 28% in East 
Lancashire to 96% in Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire compared to 
the national average of 46%. 
Figure C2: Deaths reported to coroners in 2016 as a proportion of 
registered deaths24,25 
 
                                            
24 Provisional figure based on ONS monthly death registration figures for 2016 
25 Data for the City of London has been excluded from this analysis due to the small size of this 
coroner area. The total number of coroner areas shown in Figure C2 is therefore 91. 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 32 
Explanatory notes 
The United Kingdom Statistics Authority has designated these statistics as 
National Statistics, in accordance with the Statistics and Registration 
Service Act 2007 and signifying compliance with the Code of Practice for 
Official Statistics. 
Designation can be broadly interpreted to mean that the statistics: 
 meet identified user needs; 
 are well explained and readily accessible; 
 are produced according to sound methods, and 
 are managed impartially and objectively in the public interest. 
Once statistics have been designated as National Statistics it is a statutory 
requirement that the Code of Practice shall continue to be observed. 
The data analysed in this publication are based on annual returns from 
coroners. Thanks are due to coroners and their staff for their work in 
preparing these returns. 
Information on the quality and consistency of the Coroners statistics can be 
found in the supporting document published alongside this bulletin. 
 
Revisions to statistics for previous years 
The estimated figure for the number of registered deaths in 2015 which was 
derived from monthly data for the purposes of Table 2 in last year’s edition 
of this bulletin has now been replaced by the annual figure published by the 
Office for National Statistics.  
Symbols and conventions 
The following symbols have been used throughout the tables in this bulletin: 
n/a    = Not applicable 
- 
= Zero 
.. 
= No data available 
(p) 
= provisional data 
(r)  
= Revised data 

Coroners Statistics 2016 
 
 33 
Contacts 
Current and previous editions of this publication are available for download 
at: 
www.gov.uk/government/collections/coroners-and-burials-statistics  
The spreadsheet file of the statistical tables referred to in this bulletin is also 
available for download from this address, along with the CSV file and the 
Coroners Statistical Tool spreadsheet. 
Press enquiries should be directed to the Ministry of Justice press office: 
Tel: xx-xxxx-xxxx 
Email: xxx@xxx.xx  
 
Other enquiries about these statistics should be directed to: 
Bridgette Miles 
Ministry of Justice 
7th Floor (7.07) 
102 Petty France 
London 
SW1H 9AJ 
Email: xxx@xxx.xx 
A copy of the data collection form which was sent to coroners may be 
obtained via the contact details above. 
 
General enquiries about the statistical work of the Ministry of Justice can be 
e-mailed to: xxx@xxx.xx  
 
Other National Statistics publications, and general information about the 
official statistics system of the UK, are available from www.statistics.gov.uk. 
 
© Crown copyright 
Produced by the Ministry of Justice 
Alternative formats are available on request from 
xxx@xxx.xx