Chief Coroner’s Annual Report to the Lord Chancellor

Alex Davies-Jones Excerpts

Thursday 10th September 2026 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Alex Davies-Jones)]

I am pleased to lay and publish the chief coroner’s 12th annual report to the Lord Chancellor on the operation of coroner services under section 36 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009.

The report provides a comprehensive overview of the work taken forward across the coroner service in England and Wales in the calendar year 2025, under the leadership of the chief coroner. It provides valuable insights into the service’s operations and future direction.

In particular, the chief coroner’s report sets out:

The continuing work to promote consistency in the in the coronial jurisdiction across England and Wales, including the publishing of the “chief coroner’ guidance for coroners on the bench” and

The reconstitution of the chief coroner’s national cadres, including the cadre of coroners for major incidents and the cadre of coroners for service deaths.

I am very grateful to her honour Judge Alexia Durran for her work in preparing the report. I am also grateful to all coroners and their officers and other staff for their continued dedication to improving services for bereaved people through their invaluable frontline work.

The report will be available online, at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chief-coroners-annual-report-2025

[HCWS327]