Religious and cultural beliefs

Wherever possible during the Coroner’s involvement we will take account of your views, including your preferences, traditions and faith-based needs, particularly in the case of mourning, post-mortem and funerals. Your Coroner’s Officer will be on hand to support you through this process.

HM Coroner does not need your consent for a post-mortem, but they will explain why a post-mortem is needed. Wherever possible, HM Coroner will consider your faith, cultural needs and preferences. Discuss any relevant needs or wishes with the Coroner’s Office as soon as you can.

Alternatives to traditional post-mortems

Other post-mortem techniques such as scanning by CT (Computerised Tomography), or MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) are available in some parts of the country. These techniques do not physically damage the body, but they’re not available everywhere and can’t be used in every case.

If you would prefer a scan, you will need to ask HM Coroner as soon as possible. Where a scan is used you may be asked to pay for it.

Moving a person’s body abroad

If you want to return the deceased person to another country, your funeral directors must seek permission from HM Coroner by completing Form 104, ‘Form of Notice to a Coroner of Intention to Remove a Body out of England’. If they do not have a copy of this form, you can collect one from the Coroner’s Office. You must also contact the consulate of the country where the deceased will be repatriated, so you can make sure you have everything you need to do so legally.