Can I view the body?
Yes. Although there is no provision in the law relating to coroners’ duties and responsibilities that says a coroner must assist or allow relatives to view the body, in reality most coroners will do so.
In some rare circumstances, for instance where there are seriously disfiguring injuries, the coroner may suggest that the family should not view the body or that the way in which you view the body should be limited (for example, from behind a glass panel). It is up to you whether you take this advice and human rights legislation should support the right of a family to be able to view the body in most circumstances (as set out in the Human Rights Act 1998 [the right to respect for private and family life] should give families a right to view the body of their relative).
You should ask the coroner’s officer to arrange for you to see the body. If your request is not granted, you should take this up with the coroner directly and then consider contacting INQUEST or a specialist solicitor if you are still experiencing difficulties or need further advice.
Who does the body belong to?
Because the person died in circumstances in which it is necessary to hold an inquest, the state, in the form of the coroner, has temporary control of the body and it cannot be released for the funeral without the permission of the coroner. The coroner will release the body to whoever they understand is the next of kin, so it is important that you contact the coroner if you think there could be any disagreement about this.
Who should identify the body?
A family member or close friend of the deceased should be entitled to identify the body. If the deceased’s body is in some way unidentifiable by sight, the police or coroner’s office may use, if it is available, information such as fingerprints, dental records or even DNA samples to confirm identification. If you experience any problems with being allowed to identify your relative, you should try to take this up with the coroner directly and then consider contacting INQUEST or a specialist solicitor if you are still experiencing difficulties and need further advice. Again, human rights legislation should support the family’s right to identify the body of their relative.
Does the coroner service recognise different cultural and religious beliefs and practices in relation to death?
It is important to inform the coroner about your beliefs and practices so that, within the legal framework, they can be sensitive to your needs.
Can I prepare the body for the funeral?
The coroner will release the body to the family when all the required medical tests have been completed.
If there is a post-mortem when will the body be released for the funeral?
The body will be released when the coroner is satisfied that the medical procedures necessary for determining the medical cause of death have been completed. It is difficult to give an accurate time scale but if there is a straightforward cause of death it will be completed a few days after the death. If, however, there needs to be a second post-mortem this will inevitably cause some delay. If there are body tissue tests that need to be done some families want to delay the funeral until their completion. Usually the coroner will allow the body to be released for the funeral before the test results have been received.
When can I make the funeral arrangements?
The funeral cannot take place until the coroner has agreed to release the body, but it may be helpful to contact a funeral director of your choice at an early stage. They will be able to give you practical help with the procedures involved.
If you or your partner are on a low income, you may be entitled to financial assistance that would meet the cost of a simple funeral. You can get further details about this from your local JobCentre Plus office, or you can download a copy of the form SF200.
If the person died in prison, the Prison Service must offer to pay reasonable funeral expenses under Prison Service Order 2710 (links to a MS Word format document).
What other arrangements do I need to make?
There are often lots of practical tasks that you will need to think about when someone has died. The Department for Work and Pensions publishes an information booklet DWP1027, which you can get at your local JobCentre Plus office or download from here as a PDF. If you are on a low income you may be able to get various Bereavement Benefits, which are also explained in that booklet and online here.
