{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,24]],"date-time":"2026-10-24T17:38:45Z","timestamp":1792863525566,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,22]],"date-time":"2026-10-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1792627200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Med Leg J"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The coroner and inquest system dates back to the 10th century but continues to face criticism and debate. This research evaluates whether the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 has reduced regional disparities \u2013 often described as a \u2018postcode lottery\u2019. Using Ministry of Justice data from 2000 to 2021, we compared 2 periods: 2000\u20132013 under the Coroners Act 1988, and 2014\u20132021 under the 2009 Act, alongside data from 10 jurisdictions. Findings show the 2009 Act has not significantly changed reporting rates or the proportion of cases proceeding to inquest. Processing times increased nationwide, and the number of inquests varied inconsistently across regions. While the coronial system remains an essential part of governance it continues to exhibit structural limitations. The 2009 Act acknowledges operational challenges but fails to provide sufficient clarity and consistency, and this contributes to ongoing regional variations and prevents a uniform delivery of coronial services across England and Wales.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/00258172261462769","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,22]],"date-time":"2026-10-22T07:06:52Z","timestamp":1792652812000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The Coroners and Justice Act of 2009 and the postcode lottery"],"prefix":"10.1177","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-4661-1466","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Samrddh","family":"Bengeri","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Manchester, Manchester, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Emyr W","family":"Benbow","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Manchester, Manchester, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_2_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.39350.426389.80"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_3_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.333.7559.107"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_4_2","unstructured":"Smith J. The Shipman Inquiry third report: death certification and the investigations of deaths by coroners. Report UK Government UK July 2003."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_5_2","unstructured":"Fairbairn C Sturge G. Reforms to the coroner service in England and Wales. Report House of Commons Library UK September 2021."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_6_2","unstructured":"UK Government Coroners Act 1988 C.15 www.legislation.gov.uk\/ukpga\/1988\/13\/contents (1988 accessed 21 January 2025)."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_7_2","unstructured":"UK Government Coroners and Justice Act 2009 C.25 www.legislation.gov.uk\/ukpga\/2009\/25\/contents (2009 accessed 21 January 2025)."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_8_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/bjaceaccp\/mkv025"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_9_2","unstructured":"UK Government The Coroners (Investigation) Regulation 2013 1629 www.legislation.gov.uk\/uksi\/2013\/1629\/contents\/made (2013 accessed 14 January 2026)."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_10_2","unstructured":"UK Government The Coroners (Inquests) Rules 2013 1616 www.legislation.gov.uk\/uksi\/2013\/1616\/contents\/made (2013 accessed 14 January 2026)."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_11_2","unstructured":"UK Government The Coroners Rules 1984 552 www.legislation.gov.uk\/uksi\/1984\/552\/contents\/made (1984 accessed 14 January 2026)."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_12_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0025802414526711"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_13_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/jclinpath-2017-204333"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_14_2","unstructured":"Lancashire City Council. Coroners services www.lancashire.gov.uk\/births-marriages-and-deaths\/deaths\/coroners\/coroners-service\/ (2022 accessed 14 January 2026)."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_15_2","unstructured":"Ministry of Justice. Coroners statistics 2011: England and Wales. Report Ministry of Justice UK May 2012."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_16_2","unstructured":"Ministry of Justice. Coroners statistics 2012: England and Wales. Report Ministry of Justice UK May 2013."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_17_2","unstructured":"Ministry of Justice. Coroners statistics 2013: England and Wales. Report Ministry of Justice UK May 2014."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_18_2","unstructured":"Ministry of Justice. Coroners statistics 2014: England and Wales. Report Ministry of Justice UK May 2015."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_19_2","unstructured":"Ministry of Justice. Coroners statistics 2015: England and Wales. Report Ministry of Justice UK May 2016."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_20_2","unstructured":"Ministry of Justice. Coroners statistics annual 2016: England and Wales. Report Ministry of Justice UK May 2017."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_21_2","unstructured":"Ministry of Justice. Coroners statistics annual 2017: England and Wales. Report Ministry of Justice UK May 2018."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_22_2","unstructured":"Ministry of Justice. Coroners statistics annual 2018: England and Wales. Report Ministry of Justice UK May 2019."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_23_2","unstructured":"Ministry of Justice. Coroners statistics 2019: England and Wales. Report Ministry of Justice UK May 2020."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_24_2","unstructured":"Ministry of Justice. Coroners statistics 2020: England and Wales. Report Ministry of Justice UK May 2021."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_25_2","unstructured":"Ministry of Justice. Coroners statistics 2021: England and Wales. Report Ministry of Justice UK May 2022."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_26_2","unstructured":"Ministry of Justice. Coroners statistics 2022: England and Wales. Report Ministry of Justice UK May 2023."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_27_2","unstructured":"Medical Defence Union. Tips for foundation years: coroners inquests and fatal accident inquiries www.themdu.com\/guidance-and-advice\/guides\/tips-for-foundation-years-coroners-inquests-and-fatal-accident-inquiries (2022 accessed 14 January 2026)."},{"issue":"393","key":"e_1_3_2_28_2","first-page":"191","article-title":"General practitioner\u2019s knowledge of when to refer deaths to coroners","volume":"45","author":"Start R","year":"1995","unstructured":"Start R, Usherwood T, Carter N, et al. General practitioner\u2019s knowledge of when to refer deaths to coroners. Br J Gen Pract 1995; 45(393): 191\u2013193.","journal-title":"Br J Gen Pract"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_29_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/medethics-2012-101013"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_30_2","unstructured":"UK Government The Notification of Deaths Regulations 1112 www.legislation.gov.uk\/uksi\/2019\/1112\/made (2019 accessed 14 January 2026)."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_31_2","unstructured":"Office for National Statistics. Coronavirus (COVID-19) latest insights www.ons.gov.uk\/peoplepopulationandcommunity\/healthandsocialcare\/conditionsanddiseases\/articles\/coronaviruscovid19\/latestinsights#leading (2023 accessed 14 January 2026)."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_32_2","unstructured":"Social Care Institute for Excellence. 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