News and communications

To strengthen safeguards, medical examiners will look at the cause of death in all cases that have not been referred to the coroner.

• Updated: 15 April 2024

Baby loss certificates for parents who experienced a loss of pregnancy before 24 weeks are now available for application from 9am today (22 February 2024).

• Updated: 22 February 2024

Tottenham Park Cemetery in Enfield is facing closure after owners repeatedly failed to make necessary improvements to ensure the safety of burials.

• Updated: 11 January 2024

New measures to help protect the public and support bereaved families will be introduced in a revamp of how deaths are certified.

• Updated: 14 December 2023

Bereaved cohabitees with dependent children will soon be eligible for additional financial support, following a successful debate in the House of Commons today (24 January 2023).

• Updated: 24 January 2023

Minister for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Nadine Dorries spoke at the Royal College of Pathologists' Medical Examiner Annual Conference.

• Updated: 27 April 2021

Local Government Minister writes to all councils in England to ensure that family members can attend the funerals of their loved ones and that the wishes of the deceased are respected.

• Updated: 17 April 2020

Letter to local authorities in England to work with faith groups and funeral directors to develop safe, sensitive and innovative ways for funerals to take place.

• Updated: 17 April 2020

From tomorrow (Wednesday 8th April), financial support helping families meet the costs of funeral expenses such as coffins and funeral directors’ fees will increase from £700 to £1,000.

• Updated: 7 April 2020

Bereaved parents spared children’s burial and cremation costs.

• Updated: 6 March 2020

Parents who suffer the devastating loss of a child will be entitled to 2 weeks’ statutory leave.

• Updated: 23 January 2020

Funeral Expenses Payments scheme to provide up to £1,000, in addition to paying for essential costs of burial or cremation.

• Updated: 5 November 2019

Families grieving the loss of a loved one will find it easier to get help to meet upfront funeral costs.

• Updated: 17 July 2019

Children’s Funeral Fund for England established to ensure no parent will have to pay for their child’s burial or cremation.

• Updated: 29 June 2019

The Chancellor has written to thank the OTS for its recently published report on Inheritance Tax simplification

• Updated: 10 December 2018