Coroners statistics 2025 - GOV.UK14/05/2026
Coroners statistics 2025 - GOV.UK
Decrease in the number of deaths reported to coroners in 2025
There were 147,800 deaths reported to coroners in 2025, the lowest level since the start of the annual time series in 1995 – down 15% (from 174,900) compared to 2024.
26% of all registered deaths were reported to coroners in 2025
The proportion of registered deaths in England and Wales that were reported to coroners has decreased by five percentage points compared to 2024.
Deaths in state detention, up 13% in the last year to the highest level since 2017
There were 622 deaths in state detention (including deaths of those released from custody within 7 days and residents of probation-approved schemes) reported to coroners in 2025 (up from 549 in 2024). This increase was driven by an 8% rise in deaths of those in prison custody and a 21% rise in deaths of those in Mental Health Act detention.
Post-mortem examinations were carried out in 51% of all deaths reported to coroners in 2025
There were 75,900 post-mortem examinations ordered by coroners in 2025, a 7% fall compared to 2024. The proportion of reported deaths requiring a post-mortem increased by five percentage points over the same period.
2% fewer inquests opened in 2025
36,000 inquests were opened in 2025, down 2% (from 36,700) compared to 2024.
As a proportion of deaths reported, the number of inquests opened is at its highest level since the start of the annual time series in 1995, at 24%.
Inquest conclusions down 1%, the largest fall seen in natural causes conclusions
In 2025, 39,100 inquest conclusions were recorded in total, down 1% compared to 2024
Natural causes had the largest decrease, down 24% on 2024, to 3,700 inquest conclusions in 2025.
Average time taken to complete an inquest remained stable
The estimated average time taken to process an inquest remained stable at 31.3 weeks in 2025.
Prevention of Future Deaths reports down by 8%
654 Prevention of Future Deaths reports were issued in 2025, a decrease of 8% compared to 2024.