Coroner service privacy notice

How long will the coroner keep your data?

HM Coroner decides on the content of any case file and whether information relating to a living person should be kept.

How long information is held is dependent on the Coronial case that it has been collected for. Any document in the possession of HM Coroner in connection with an investigation or post-mortem examination must be retained for at least 15 years under Regulation 27 The Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013.

After this period information relating to inquest cases may be kept in the local authority's archive for longer periods if it is considered to be of historical interest.

Records are disposed of securely via the local authority’s secure confidential waste disposal contracts.

Publication of your personal data

A court or tribunal may, where it is strictly necessary in the interests of the administration of justice, place restrictions on personal data, such as an individual’s name, which is placed in a judgment. It may also hold legal proceedings in private and place restrictions on access to court and tribunal files. Such decisions are judicial decisions and can only be taken within legal proceedings. Individuals wishing to raise such matters should seek legal advice.