Community and living

What happens after the death is reported to the coroner?
The coroner will investigate and, where the circumstances are clear and determined to be natural, may issue 'Pink form A', enabling the death to be registered. In such cases, a post-mortem examination or inquest is not required.

In other cases, especially where the death was sudden and the cause is unknown, the coroner arranges a post-mortem examination. If it is established that the death was due to natural causes, and HM Coroner is satisfied that an inquest is unnecessary, a 'Pink form B' is issued. This means the death can be registered following post-mortem examination but without inquest.

In all other cases, the death becomes the subject of an inquest. Once identification and a medical cause of death are satisfactorily established, an inquest will be opened and adjourned by HM Coroner. This usually happens within a few days. If needed, an Interim Certificate of Death can be issued. The full inquest will be resumed at a later date, after the completion of all necessary inquiries.

Inquests
A Coroner's inquest is an inquiry, held in public in open court, to which witnesses are called to give evidence about the death in question. It is not a trial; no-one is on trial in a coroner's court. The coroner is in charge and decides who to call as witnesses. The purpose of the inquest is to establish reliable answers to four questions:
who died?
when did they die?
where did they die?
how did they die?

The Coroner must also provide the details required by the Registrar of Deaths in order for the death to be registered: date and place of birth, occupation, address, etc.

Inquests do not establish if anyone was at fault or to blame for deaths.  Matters of blame or fault can only be pursued in separate civil or criminal proceedings.  At the end of an inquest, the coroner may report the facts to an appropriate authority which may have power to prevent similar fatalities in future, but they cannot make recommendations or compel the authority to do anything.

Some people - such as those who have an emotional or financial interest in the death - are allowed, as 'interested persons', not only to attend the hearing but also to take part in the enquiry by asking relevant questions of the witnesses, either themselves or through a lawyer.

Usually, coroners hear cases on their own but sometimes a jury is needed.  coroner's inquests, normally, are usually open to the public and anyone, including the press, may attend. Witnesses who are summoned must attend.  At the end of an inquest the coroner records the findings and conclusions which includes an after inquest certificate that is delivered to the Registrar of Deaths and enables a death certificate to be issued.

Treasure
In addition to holding inquests into certain kinds of deaths, a coroner holds inquests into any treasure found in their district. The Treasure Act of 1996 widened the scope of 'treasure' to include categories such as coins and other objects as well as gold and silver objects.

Contact Information
Contact with HM Coroner should first be made through the relevant coroner's officer.  Office hours are normally 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. Outside usual office hours, violent, unnatural and sudden, unexpected deaths should be reported through any police officer or hospital switchboard, which will have details of how to contact the on-call coroner's officer.

Location of the Coroner's Court
The Coroner's Court is in the basement of the Magistrates' and Coroner's Court building in Barclay Road, Croydon (not to be confused with the Crown and County Law Courts building on the corner of Barclay and Altyre roads). The court is not far from East Croydon train and bus stations. Car parking is available in nearby public car parks (between the court and the Fairfield Halls).

Given prior notice, limited parking for disabled people may be available outside the court. 

Contact Details

Contact name

Coroner's Office for Croydon & Sutton

Telephone

020 8684 2758

Fax

020 8684 2796

Address

150 Thornton Road
Thornton Heath
Surrey
CR7 6BB

Location: This office is near the Thornton Road entrance to the Croydon Cemetery and Crematorium.

Contact name

Coroners Office

Telephone

020 8681 5019

Fax

020 8686 3491

Email

hmc@southlondoncoroner.org

Address

Coroner's Court
H.M. Coroner
Southern District of Greater London
Coroner's Court
Barclay Road
Croydon
CR9 3NE

Contact name

Coroner's Office for Bromley & Bexley

Telephone

020 8315 7580

Fax

020 8315 7588

Address

Kingfisher House
21-23 Elmfield Road
Bromley
BR1 1LT

Location: This office is close to Bromley South rail station and to the main shopping area in Bromley.