When someone dies in prison, support is available for their family and loved ones. Here, you can find information about what happens next and useful contacts and resources.

• What happens after a death in prison?
• Family Liaison Officers
• The inquest
• Legal representation
• Legal costs
• Prisons and Probation Ombudsman investigation
  • PPO support for families
  • Health review
  • The funeral
• Useful links and resources

What happens after a death in prison?

After any death, the prison will first report it to the police and the local coroner’s office, contact the next of kin, and allocate a family liaison officer (FLO) who will offer practical and empathetic support.

Then, a coroner (a type of judge) is appointed to conduct an inquest to establish how, when, and where someone died. The coroner will arrange for the deceased to be taken to a mortuary, which the family can visit.

The police will conduct a preliminary investigation on behalf of the coroner, and evidence they collect can be used in the inquest.

The coroner will usually direct a pathologist to conduct a post-mortem examination to determine the medical cause of death. Families are entitled to see the report on request.

Family Liaison Officers (FLOs)

FLOs are prison staff trained to work with bereaved families and loved ones with empathy and respect.

They offer:

• Practical help and advice
• Information about organisations which specialise in grief and bereavement
• Information on official investigations after the death
• An explanation of the prison’s contribution to funeral costs.

They can also:

• Arrange for prayers, a memorial service, and/or a book of condolences at the prison
• Arrange a visit to the prison
• Return property from the prison
• Help arrange the funeral if desired

The inquest

The coroner will usually open the inquest within a few days of the death. This starts with a preliminary hearing in court, which is open to the public. It is typically just a few minutes long. Families can attend if they wish to do so.

Close family members, as interested persons in the investigation, have the right to make submissions to (i.e. share information with) and receive disclosure of statements and reports from the coroner.  

It is helpful to the coroner that families put concerns or questions in writing. Multiple family members have the right to be interested persons, but it helps with proceedings if the family can agree that one acts as the communication point for disclosure and submissions (i.e. exchange of information) to and from the court.

The coroner will adjourn the inquest to a later date while the investigation continues.

After the preliminary hearing, the coroner will usually issue a burial order or cremation certificate straight away. This means that the deceased can be moved out of the mortuary and a funeral can take place.

There may be further hearings called pre-inquest reviews (PIRs) where evidence from witnesses and experts is discussed. They are opportunities to present your views as to what matters should be investigated and which witnesses should be called.

The final stage is the inquest hearing which is usually after the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) investigation has concluded. You will be invited to attend. The coroner will examine the evidence and reach a conclusion, establishing where, when, and how the death occurred. These are written on the Record of Inquest, which cannot determine negligence or criminal liability.

Legal representation

The coroner is responsible for uncovering all relevant factors in the death in an unbiased way.

Other agencies involved in the inquest, such as the Prison Service, will have separate legal representation throughout the process.

Families may wish to hire their own legal representation, but it is not compulsory.

The charity INQUEST can provide details of solicitors with experience of inquests into prison deaths. They can also offer guidance to solicitors who have not dealt with a death in prison before.

Legal costs

Public funding to cover legal costs is available if the death was apparently by suicide. Funding is also available in certain other circumstances and may be subject to a means test.

The charity INQUEST can provide information on public funding.

Prisons and Probation Ombudsman investigation

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) conducts an independent investigation into every death in custody in England and Wales.

A named investigator will be allocated to find out as much as possible about what happened in the time leading up to the death.

This investigation includes looking at all relevant records and policies and factors such as how the deceased’s physical and mental health and risks of suicide, self-harm, and substance misuse were managed.

The investigator will interview staff and prisoners, if required, and families will have opportunities to ask questions and provide information. They aim to identify how the prison could improve its work in future, making recommendations for improvement and highlighting areas of good practice. 

The PPO cannot investigate decisions or actions taken by the police, courts, or hospital staff.

When the investigation concludes, the PPO will send their final report to HMPPS and publish an anonymised version on their website after the inquest. They will ask families if they would like a copy before it is published.

PPO support for families

The PPO has its own Family Liaison Officers (FLOs) who do not work for the prison. Bereaved families will be contacted in writing within 2 to 4 weeks of the death.

The PPO’s FLO will offer opportunities to ask questions and raise concerns, which they will share with the PPO’s investigator on your behalf.

While they do not offer bereavement counselling, PPO FLOs can provide information on appropriate support services.

Health review

As part of the PPO investigation, NHS England or Healthcare Inspectorate Wales will commission an independent clinical review of the healthcare given to the person before their death.

The family will be given the opportunity to ask specific questions to be included within the investigation. The completed clinical review report is then included within the PPO investigation report.

The funeral

The family may wish to contact a funeral director to discuss funeral plans at an early stage. However, please bear in mind that the funeral cannot take place until the coroner gives authorisation, usually straight after the preliminary inquest hearing.

The coroner’s officer and family liaison officers can offer practical help and support, and FLO will make the funeral arrangements if the family prefers.

Prisons will pay a contribution towards reasonable funeral expenses. The only exceptions to this are where the family has a pre-paid funeral plan or is entitled to claim a grant from another government department.

Details of reasonable funeral costs are in the HMPPS Follow up to Deaths in Custody Policy Framework on the Gov.UK website.

Useful links and resources

Page last reviewed: 5 February 2025