FOI reference: FOI-2024-1812
You asked
I have recently become aware of considerable delays in the issue of formal death certificates for those deaths that are required to be referred to the coroner.
As I understand that a death cannot be officially registered without the issue of a formal death certificate, can the ONS please supply the following information:-
1) Does the ONS have oversight of the number of deaths that have occurred but are still awaiting a formal death certificate from the coroner?
2) If so, are these numbers published anywhere, e.g. the monthly mortality statistics, and can you please provide the number of deaths that are known to have occurred but are still awaiting formal registration.
We said
Thank you for your request.
We do not hold the information requested.
We only know about a death when we receive a registration from the General Register Office (GRO) and do not hold any information on unregistered deaths.
You may be able to obtain the information you require from The Ministry of Justice (MoJ). They can be contacted at data.access@justice.gov.uk.