This is where the coroner’s investigation is concluded without an inquest being held. Open conclusion

All official statistics should comply with all aspects of the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. They are awarded National Statistics status following an assessment by the Authority’s regulatory arm. The Authority considers whether the statistics meet the highest standards of Code compliance, including the value they add to public decisions and debate. Those which resulted in verdicts of murder or manslaughter (including many that would now be regarded as misadventure) are normally found in the indictments or depositions files of the relevant circuit.

Hearings

Keep a register of coroner investigations lasting more than 12 months and take steps to reduce unnecessary delays; In 2015 and 2016, there were significant increases in natural causes conclusions, driven by deaths of individuals subject to DoLS authorisations where the majority (94%) had an inquest conclusion of natural causes. In line with the reduction in the number of inquests opened and inquest conclusions following the removal of the requirement to report DoLS deaths, there was also a corresponding decrease in the number of natural causes conclusions in 2017 and 2018. In 2021, natural causes decreased by 4%. In 2021, 32,300 inquest conclusions were recorded in total, up 4% on 2020. Accident/misadventure, suicide and unclassified conclusions had the largest increases, up 2%, 8% and 24% on 2020, to 7,700, 4,800 and 8,100 inquest conclusions in 2021 respectively. There were 170 deaths of individuals subject to Mental Health Act Detention in 2021, a 22% decrease (49 cases) compared to 2020. The Care Quality Commission reported 363 deaths under the Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended) [footnote 4] in financial year 2020/21, up 51% on the number they reported in 2019/20 (240 deaths).

Inquest cases represented 17% of all the deaths reported to coroners in 2021, (16% in 2020). The number of inquests opened as a proportion of deaths reported in 2021 varied across coroner areas, from 5% in Ceredigion to 34% in York City. However, most coroner areas held inquests for between 10% and 20% of all deaths reported (59 of the 85 coroner areas). Map 2 shows the Inquests opened as a proportion of deaths reported in 2021 for all coroner areas in England and Wales. The post-mortem examination reveals that the deceased died of natural causes but the coroner considers that it is necessary to (investigate or) continue the investigation. The coroner must then hold an inquest. Other enquiries about these statistics should be directed to the Data and Evidence as a Service division of the Ministry of Justice: The estimated figure for the number of registered deaths in 2020 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 rounding convention

When the funeral can be held

In England and Wales, all violent, unnatural or accidental deaths, deaths of unknown cause, and all deaths in custody and state detention, are reported to coroners. Deprivation of Liberty Safeguard There were 428 inquests held with juries in 2021 (representing 1% of all inquests), an increase of 189 (79%) compared to 2020 and a decrease of 14% when compared to the 5-year pre-pandemic average. The Coroners Statistics are published annually in May and cover statistics for each calendar year. There is no scheduled revisions policy for this publication. The remainder was forwarded to the King’s Bench. As London and Middlesex were anomalous jurisdictions without assize courts, their inquisitions were not treated in the same way.

The coroner found that other alternative placements had not been considered and that Children’s Social Care had not been involved in the discharge planning, as they should have been. The expert described the discharge into Jane’s care as abrupt, precarious and inappropriate without considering alternative placements. Once any post-mortem examination (including any histology or toxicology) has concluded, the coroner must decide how to proceed. There are three main options: An open conclusion will be given if there is insufficient evidence to determine a cause of death, to record any other suggested conclusion or where there is other evidence but the required standard of proof is not reached. Narrative conclusions are given where a short-form conclusion would not be sufficient or, if there is evidence of very serious failings, a coroner might combine a short-form conclusion with the phrase ‘contributed to by neglect’.The Coroner Service: Government Response to the Committee’s First Report - Justice Committee - House of Commons (parliament.uk) ↩ Under the 2009 Act, a coroner conducts an ‘investigation’ into a death (which may or may not include an inquest). Much of the coroner’s investigation takes place before any formal inquest hearing, and includes the coroner considering whether the duty to hold an inquest applies to an individual case.