Why is the Coroner involved?
The Birmingham and Solihull Coroner Service looks into someone’s death if they died within the Birmingham and Solihull area and:
- the cause of death is unknown
- the cause of death is unnatural
- the deceased was in a state of detention (for example, police custody) at the time of their death
The police, hospital bereavement services, individual GPs and doctors and care homes will refer a death to the Coroner where necessary. They'll give the Coroner some basic information about the death, the identity of the person who has died (the deceased) and their next of kin (closest living relatives), if known.
A member of the Coroner's staff will contact the deceased's next of kin in the days following the referral to ask them
- for the deceased’s details, such as full name, date of birth, address, occupation, marital status and medical history
- to confirm the circumstances of the death
In some cases, no further investigations are needed.
However, if a doctor cannot say what the likely cause of death was or did not treat the deceased during their last illness, the Coroner will decide what investigations (such as a post mortem or Coroner's Inquest) are needed and let the next of kin know.
Page last updated: 23 September 2025
