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Written by Mitch Tapner.
17 minute read
Inquest duration varies—find out how long the process takes, what affects the timeline, and what you can expect each step of the way.
How long does an inquest take in the UK? This is a question many families ask when they’re trying to work out what to do when someone dies, and it’s one that may cause a great deal of anxiety and worry. Because we understand that, we want to do everything we can to guide you through the timeframes and steps you can expect.
As a provider of direct cremation services, we have learned that trying to make funeral arrangements whilst dealing with the uncertainty of an inquest can be very upsetting. We hope that by guiding you through the typical timeframes and reasons for an inquest, we will be able to offer some sense of comfort at this difficult time.
Inquests usually take 6 to 9 months, but delays are common, especially in complex or sensitive cases.
An inquest is a fact-finding process, not a trial. It aims to establish who died, and where, when, and how.
Funerals can go ahead before the inquest finishes. Families can use an interim death certificate to plan the funeral and apply for probate.
Delays may be caused by legal or medical factors, such as pathology reports, multiple witnesses, or linked criminal investigations.
Families have a right to information and support. The coroner’s office must provide updates, and legal guidance is available if needed.
Inquests are public investigations into death that appear to be not fully explained, unnatural, or in rare occasions, violent in nature. They are conducted by a coroner with the express intention of determining the factors surrounding the death. These include: who has died, when they died, where they died, and how they died. Because an inquest is not a trial, no blame or liability is assigned.
If you are struggling to figure out how to proceed after a death, or are dealing with the unexpected death of a loved one, you can expect the coroner to guide you through the process. They will outline why they are conducting an inquest and then report their findings back to you. The purpose is to figure out what happened, not to find anyone guilty of the death.
There is a legal obligation on the part of the coroner for an inquest to take place, provided certain thresholds are met. Any death that is suspected to be unnatural, the result of an unknown cause, potentially violent or occurred in police custody must have an inquest.
The coroner leads and convenes the inquest with the goal of determining the cause and nature of the death. The inquest can include a post-mortem examination of your loved one by a trained pathologist. The pathologist will then use their knowledge of human anatomy to determine the cause of death.
The coroner also has the power to appoint a jury to help with their investigation. Juries are tasked with establishing the facts of the death based solely on the evidence that is presented to them. They are not tasked with assigning guilt or blame as they would be in a criminal trial.
Because you cannot register a death before the inquest has been completed, it may help to know what can trigger an inquest in the first place:
Inquests in the UK are inquisitorial, which means they exist purely to establish the facts. There will be no assignment of guilt or liability, even if the coroner calls a jury to help with the decision-making process. Every inquest is also a public meeting, ensuring that anyone can attend and that due process is always seen to be done.
Whilst a death cannot be registered whilst an inquest is ongoing, a coroner can issue an interim death certificate when an inquest is opened, allowing for funeral arrangements and estate administration to go ahead without delays.
Asking someone in authority ‘How long do inquests take?’ is, in many cases, something that can cause undue upset. According to the Coroner Court Support Service, most Coroners aim to complete Inquests within 6-9 months of the initial report of the death.
While the inquest is ongoing:
The time it takes from death to inquest can vary significantly, depending on different factors, such as the case readiness and the facts available at the time of death. The goal is to establish the cause of death in a way that is fully transparent and safe from a legal perspective. As a result, some inquests are concluded in a short space of time, while others can span many months. If you are unsure about what some of these terms mean, you will find the cause of death explained in more detail in our guide.
The inquest will have a point of contact assigned to it who you can ask for updates and likely timeframes as the next of kin. In our experience, you may find that the timeframes you are given are rather open-ended due to the complex nature of inquests themselves. This is one of the main reasons for the increase in the UK funeral waiting time in cases where inquests into unexplained deaths need to be performed.
Understanding the key steps involved may help to demystify some of what is going on and make it a little easier to follow. If you are unfamiliar with what is happening, here are the main points you need to be aware of:
Whilst each step may sound like it is relatively brief in the greater scheme of things, it’s important to know that a far larger amount of work is going on behind the scenes. For example, a significant amount of time may be used for gathering records, compiling witness testimonies, and seeking expert analysis. While the delays may be very upsetting and confusing, it’s the thorough nature of the inquest that will ultimately provide you with certainty and a degree of closure.
Searching “How long does an inquest take?” often brings up a wide range of answers, and leaves you no clearer. That’s because delays can come from many different places, each one changing how quickly the inquest moves forward.
No one wants to hear the inquest has been delayed, whether it’s for a spouse, close friend, or as a result of the death of an estranged parent. Understanding that every delay has a definite cause may help you ground yourself to some degree:
If a death is particularly sensitive — such as the loss of a young child or one with public interest — the inquest may take longer. This is often due to the level of scrutiny involved, which can lead investigators to gather more detailed evidence and consult additional experts. That’s not to say other cases are handled with less care, but high-profile or emotionally complex situations can add further steps to the process.
Adjournments are formal pauses in the inquest process, usually for legal or investigative reasons. Procedural adjournments might happen to allow time for specific evidence to be submitted or reviewed. Investigative delays can occur when further analysis is required or when new witness testimony becomes available.
If there is an ongoing criminal investigation or important evidence arrives late, the inquest may be paused. In cases connected to complex or high-profile criminal matters, repeated adjournments are common. This helps prevent the inquest from interfering with or influencing the outcome of the criminal case.
The inquest process may feel like you are being pulled into the complex world of the legal system when all you want to do is focus on working through your grief. It is natural to feel this way, and you may find that listening to grief podcasts helps you to feel connected with others with similar experiences.
The coroner convenes the inquest and assesses all of the evidence so that they can make a judgement as to the nature and circumstances of the death. There will be legal representatives who are tasked with compiling and submitting the evidence to the inquest, as well as arguing for a particular direction or cause. The family of the person who has died can be present, as will anyone else who wants to attend, because the inquest is a public event. Witnesses who are providing evidence will also be in attendance when they are called to testify by the coroner.
The pathologist who carried out the autopsy will also be called on to give evidence, and a jury may be summoned to help with the decision-making process. Even though there is a jury here, the inquest is in no way a criminal or civil hearing. They are there to come to a judgement about what has happened, not to assign blame or guilt to any party. If the death is high-profile or the inquest is deemed to be in the wider public interest, media representatives may also be in attendance.
Families are notified in writing by the coroner when an inquest is opened, and their rights during the process will be clearly explained. The coroner’s office aims to balance transparency with sensitivity, ensuring the family’s emotional needs are respected throughout.
The family will be informed that they have a right to legal representation if they feel it will help them to better navigate the inquest process. They can also request information and evidence at certain points throughout the inquest, such as the post-mortem report.
Because we understand how distressing the prospect of a lengthy and confusing inquest may be, we want to help in any way we can. You may find it helps to look at our guide on how long does it take to arrange a funeral to see how long things may take from that perspective.
Attempting to navigate the five stages of grief is something that you may feel becomes even harder when you have an inquest to contend with. Breaking down what happens at the end of the inquest may help you to prepare yourself in some way for what comes next.
Most verdicts are reached by the coroner alone, but those deemed to be in the public interest, such as a death in police custody, generally require the input of a jury. The inquest has a number of conclusions that it can reach and verdicts that it can return:
It’s important to understand that an inquest verdict is meant to establish the facts, not assign legal blame. Unlike a criminal trial, it won’t result in a conviction. For example, a conclusion of unlawful killing doesn’t mean a specific person has been identified or held responsible. Knowing this in advance may help you process the outcome and manage what follows.
The outcome of an inquest can have serious legal implications, depending on the verdict. A solicitor can guide you through what the findings may lead to, such as further investigations or the possibility of a civil claim. They can also explain how the coroner’s report might help bring a sense of clarity or closure.
For many families, having legal support during the inquest provides reassurance. Trying to make sense of legal proceedings while grieving can feel overwhelming, and a solicitor can help you understand what’s happening and why — without adding to the emotional strain.
While an inquest is designed to establish facts in a transparent way, you may not find that the verdict provides the instant closure you have been holding out for. This is especially the case if the verdict is open or one of unlawful killing. In cases like these, you may find that you are left with more questions than answers, something that we understand may be very unsettling.
In cases when someone dies at home and there is no obvious cause of death, an inquest will virtually always be convened by the coroner. Even if you feel that your loved one passed peacefully, you may find that the system is pulling you into a world of legalese that you were simply not expecting or prepared for. If you find that weeks turn to months and you still do not know what is happening, there are three things you can do:
Delays, while frustrating, often reflect thoroughness, not neglect. The job of all those involved is to come to a conclusion about what happened in the most reliable way possible, and unfortunately, there are many instances when this takes longer than the family would like.
Resources like INQUEST are available to guide you through the many complicated steps that you may be presented with, and there are also local bereavement support services. Taking your time to find a resource that you feel comfortable using and opening up to is something that could make a real difference to the way you mourn and heal in the weeks and months ahead. In our role as a family-run funeral provider, we regularly meet families undergoing similar journeys, and so we completely understand the emotional toll and need for clarity and compassion. If there is anything we can do to help, we are always right here.
We hope that you have found some comfort and information here that may help you move forward. In cases where you have taken out one of our prepaid funeral plans when your loved one was still alive, we can guide you through how it may be affected by potential delays from the inquest. Or if you are coming to us to arrange a funeral at a time of need, we have many years of combined experience working with families at highly sensitive moments.
Gathering evidence, calling and locating witnesses, and seeking expert input can all cause a delay to an inquest. There may also be times when the coroner’s office has a backlog of cases that it must work through before it can begin looking at your case.
The inquest is conducted by a coroner who has the power to call a jury, request an autopsy by a pathologist, and adjourn it when additional evidence is required. The role of the coroner is to establish the facts of the death, not to prosecute or convict anyone who may have been involved.
Inquests can take anywhere from several weeks to many months, depending on the complexity, nature, and profile of the case. Having a legal representative you can turn to for guidance and advice may help you to understand why delays are occurring and why they are in the best interests of the integrity of the process.
Not in the same sense that you can appeal the verdict of a criminal or civil trial, but you do have recourse if you are unhappy with any aspect of the inquest. You can apply for judicial review whereby another legal professional may be assigned to look over all of the evidence and the manner in which the decision was reached.
Yes, the coroner’s office is responsible for notifying the family at each key stage of the process. This includes the date of the autopsy, the submission of the autopsy report, and the date of the public hearing. They will also provide a written report of the autopsy and the inquest upon request.