Guidance

Medical records for deceased service personnel

Information on requesting medical records held by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for deceased service personnel.

How to apply

To request medical records for a deceased service person, please email CIO-FOI@mod.gov.uk.

What to include in your request

Please ensure you include the following details (if known):

  • full name of the service person
  • service number
  • date of birth
  • date of death
  • service they served for, e.g. Army, Navy or Royal Air Force (RAF)
  • copy of death certificate or other legal declaration of death
  • any other information you think would be relevant to your request

In the absence of a death certificate or other legal declaration of death, the MOD adopts a policy of assuming that a person is alive until the age of 116. You do not need a copy of the death certificate if the person died in service or was born more than 116 years ago.

The MOD will not disclose any information where release could prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of its forces. In the very rare case that release of information from a service record might be prejudicial or cannot be released for other reasons, the applicant will be advised of the relevant FOIA statutory exemption that applies to its non-disclosure.

Published 22 April 2024