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The rule is regulation 20 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013: the coroner must release the body for burial or cremation as soon as is reasonably practicable. There is no fixed period, and no official statistics on how long it actually takes. If the coroner cannot release within 28 days of becoming aware the body is in their area, regulation 20(2) requires them to tell the next of kin the reason for the delay. Release does not mean the investigation is over — you can hold the funeral long before an inquest concludes. The coroner's officer is the only reliable source of a timescale in your case.
When a death is under coroner investigation, one of the first questions families ask is "when can we have the funeral?" Understanding the body release process, typical timelines, and how to expedite in urgent situations can help you plan during an already difficult time.
On timings, honestly:
The Ministry of Justice publishes coroners statistics every year, and they contain no figure at all for how long bodies are held. Earlier versions of this page gave day-by-day ranges and a "85% within 72 hours" figure. None of that came from a source, and it has been removed.
Key Point: Body release and investigation completion are separate processes. You can usually proceed with the funeral long before the coroner's investigation or inquest concludes.
The coroner releases the body once they no longer need to retain it for investigation purposes:
The body is usually released once:
Release for burial/cremation doesn't mean the investigation is complete. The coroner may still conduct inquiries, gather evidence, and eventually hold an inquest – but you can proceed with the funeral.
No official timings are published, so what follows is the legal framework rather than a schedule.
Regulation 11 requires the coroner to ask a suitable practitioner to make the post-mortem "as soon as reasonably practicable". If you have asked in advance, regulation 13 requires the coroner to tell you the date, time and place — unless that would unreasonably delay the examination.
The body is not normally held while laboratory results come back. Where material is preserved or retained, regulation 14 requires the pathologist to notify the coroner, and the coroner to tell the next of kin what is being kept and for how long.
Where the police tell the coroner a homicide offence is suspected, regulation 12 requires the coroner to consult the chief officer of police about who should carry out the post-mortem. Where a person is charged, Schedule 1 to the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 requires the coroner to suspend the investigation. These cases can take longer, but no published figure quantifies by how much.
Whatever the reason for a delay, regulation 20(2) requires the coroner to tell the next of kin or personal representative why, if the body cannot be released within 28 days of the coroner becoming aware it is in their area. If you are past 28 days and have not been given a reason, ask for one.
If your religion requires rapid burial, inform the coroner immediately:
Both faiths traditionally seek burial as soon as possible after death. Coroners are used to the request, and regulation 20 already obliges them to release as soon as is reasonably practicable:
A post-mortem takes time to arrange and carry out, and coroners cannot guarantee any particular turnaround. We are not going to quote a figure, because none is published. Ask the coroner's officer what is realistic in your case, and speak to your religious leader about what flexibility your tradition allows.
How body release actually happens:
The coroner (or coroner's officer on their behalf) decides the body can be released. This decision is based on the pathologist's confirmation that examination is complete.
The coroner's office contacts the family (or funeral director if already appointed) to confirm the body is released. They'll specify which funeral director should collect it.
The coroner provides documents allowing burial or cremation:
Your funeral director collects the body from the mortuary (usually hospital mortuary or coroner's mortuary). They handle all logistics.
The funeral director brings the deceased to their care facility where preparation for viewing or funeral can begin.
While waiting for the investigation to conclude:
An Interim Death Certificate is a temporary document confirming the death occurred, issued before the investigation concludes. It doesn't state the cause of death.
GOV.UK says you can use either an interim or a final death certificate to apply for probate, and to report the death using Tell Us Once. Beyond that it is commonly used for:
GOV.UK says: "If you need proof of the death while you wait for the inquest to finish, ask the coroner for an interim death certificate." Some coroner offices provide one automatically; others wait to be asked. No statutory fee is published for it — ask the coroner's office whether they charge.
Not all organizations accept interim certificates. Some (especially insurance companies) require the final death certificate showing cause of death before processing claims.
What you can do while waiting:
Choose and instruct a funeral director before the body is released. They can liaise with the coroner's office and be ready to collect immediately upon release.
Plan the service, choose burial plot or crematorium, select coffin, etc. Just don't fix firm dates until you know the release timeline.
Let people know the funeral will happen once the body is released, giving an estimated timeframe. You can send formal notifications once dates are confirmed.
Some venues (crematoriums, churches) may allow provisional bookings pending body release, or you can check availability for likely timeframes.
If you believe the body is being retained longer than necessary:
Contact the coroner's officer and politely ask why release hasn't happened and when it's expected. There may be a legitimate reason you're unaware of.
If retention seems unjustified and explanation is inadequate, you can complain to the senior coroner or, in extreme cases, seek legal advice about challenging the decision.
Many families want to see their loved one after release:
Yes, viewing is usually possible after a post-mortem. The funeral director will need time to prepare; how long depends on the case, and no general figure is published. Ask them.
Post-mortem examination involves surgical incisions. The funeral director will:
Your funeral director will tell you when viewing is possible once they have collected and prepared the person. Discuss what you want with them.
Both options are available:
Burial can go ahead once the coroner issues an order for burial. Regulation 21 says a coroner may only issue such an order where they no longer need to retain the body for the investigation, and regulation 21(2) requires them to use Form 3.
Where the coroner has begun an investigation, cremation requires a coroner's certificate (Cremation 6). Under the Cremation (England and Wales) Regulations 2008 as amended on 9 September 2024, that certificate confirms the body does not need to be retained for the purposes of the coroner's investigation.
The doctors' cremation certificates that used to sit alongside it — form Cremation 4 (medical certificate) and form Cremation 11 (certificate after post-mortem) — were abolished on the same date, because the medical examiner's scrutiny replaced them. If you are reading guidance that still refers to them, it is out of date.
There's no significant difference in release timing for burial vs cremation. Both can proceed once the coroner issues the appropriate documentation.
Your funeral director is crucial during coroner cases:
Yes, though it's easier to choose the right one initially. The coroner releases to a specific funeral director, but you can transfer afterward if needed.
If organs or tissue were retained for testing, the body is still released. Retained material is either returned later for burial/cremation separately, or disposed of according to your wishes.
Yes, repatriation is possible once the body is released. Additional documentation (consular mortuary certificate) will be needed. Discuss with an international repatriation specialist.
While in the coroner's mortuary, there are no storage fees. Once released to a funeral director, discuss costs upfront. Some offer payment plans or can advise on financial assistance.
Most Common Scenario:
No day counts. No official statistics are published for any of these stages, so this page gives none. The coroner's officer is your source for a timescale in your case.
Scotland has no coroners. Deaths are reported to the Procurator Fiscal, who decides whether a post-mortem is needed and when the body can be released. The Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013 described on this page apply to England and Wales only, so the 28-day duty above does not apply in Scotland. Contact the Procurator Fiscal's office dealing with the death.
Northern Ireland has its own Coroners Service, operating under the Coroners Act (Northern Ireland) 1959. The regulations cited on this page are England and Wales only and do not apply there. NIDirect says that where a death is referred to the coroner, funeral arrangements should not be made before the coroner's consent has been obtained.
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