To support practically and emotionally the family and other witnesses attending the Coroners’ Courts.
Registered Charity Number: 1105899 +44 (0)300 111 2141 info@ccsupport.org.uk

Information & Support

To support practically and emotionally the family and other witnesses attending a Coroner’s Court.

An Inquest can be a traumatic experience for anybody involved. Our aim is to help, guide and support everyone attending an Inquest. The CCSS’s trained volunteers will guide people through the often complicated and bewildering process and explain the Inquest procedure to you, helping you have a much better understanding of your role with this often unfamiliar environment.

The volunteers at Court meet anxious people every day from many different backgrounds, circumstances and lifestyles and understand the importance of supporting everyone attending with a non-judgmental attitude.

If you would like to talk to a volunteer before the day of the Inquest we have a telephone helpline available Mon – Fri 9.00 am – 6.00 pm.  Please call 0300 111 2141 or e-mail helpline@ccss.org.uk

We can also signpost you to other organisations that may be able to help in the longer term.

Your experience

Bereavement is a universal experience yet it will be unique to each one of us and it is natural to feel intense grief after someone dies. Usually people are resilient and manage to cope with difficult experiences but, when someone close to us dies, we can’t imagine living without that person in our lives and the loss can be a physical pain. The pain can hurt so much that we just want to make it stop. Family and friends can often feel helpless when seeing a loved one in so much distress. People often say they have:

  • Strong feelings of yearning or longing for the person; it’s almost like the death just happened;
  • Frequent intense loneliness or feeling like life is empty or meaningless;
  • Thoughts of the person seem to fill your mind or intrude on your thoughts when you are doing things so that it might be difficult to concentrate

Some typical reactions to the loss are:

  • Troubling feelings of being shocked, stunned, dazed or numb;
  • Feelings of disbelief or an inability to accept what happened even though you know it’s true for example you know the person died but it doesn’t seem possible

Sometimes this can negatively impact on the natural grieving process and interfere with how you are coping with the loss. It can also feel like there is little or no possibility of a meaningful future.

Bereavement and trauma can affect people in different ways and it is not unusual to feel shock, denial, anger, sadness and despair at any time. You may lose confidence, feel powerless and that the future holds no hope. You may feel isolated and anxious and it is possible your physical health may suffer. All these are common reactions and some people find that attending the Inquest can “bring it all back” and their grief is overwhelming.

There is no “normal” response to the death of a loved one and nor is there a timeline as to when you should “recover”. Sometimes it is just about acceptance of what has happened and getting through one day at a time when all seems too much to bear. You may also have to take on additional responsibilities that are new to you.

Whereas, in time, we would normally adapt to the loss and come to terms with it, this can be more difficult when there is a Coroner’s investigation involved.

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Support and Guidance for Bereaved People Attending Inquests

Fact Sheets

Inquest Overview – A factsheet for families

 

 

 

Below you can read what people have said about us after receiving our support at court.

“The volunteer spent a good deal of time discussing forthcoming arrangements and answering any questions leading up to the event. She even arranged for my sister and I to visit the Coroner’s Court ahead of the inquest date so my sister could familiarise herself with the setting. Her support and guidance helped keep my sister focussed whilst her kind manner kept things steady.”
“The volunteer was so helpful in explaining the procedure and looking after us throughout and afterwards. We couldn’t have got through it without her.”
"My four siblings and I received leaflets from the Court outlining the procedure, but were all equally daunted at the prospect of attending an Inquest, particularly as we were emotionally tender having lost Dad as well shortly before the Inquest."
"On arrival at the Court we were greeted by two volunteers from the Coroners’ Courts Support Service (CCSS), who made us all feel most welcome and at ease. They explained in simple terms the Inquest procedures, described the Courtroom, showed us the facilities, lifts, stairs, toilets etc. advised us on how to address the Coroner, take the oath in the Witness Box and answered any questions we had – no matter how silly they may have seemed."
"During the Inquest, there was a volunteer in the Court with us throughout and it was most reassuring knowing that we could get their support and advice should we need it."
"The CCSS is a wonderful charity, providing a much-needed service, at a time of stress and upset. We couldn’t have got through the day without them.”
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Coroners’ Courts across the UK

The map below shows all the coroners’ courts across the UK

Avon

The Coroner’s Office
The Courthouse, Old Weston Street
Flax Bourton
North Somerset
BS48 1UL
T: 01275 461920
Website

Bedfordshire and Luton

The Coroner’s Office
The Court House
Woburn Street
Ampthill
Bedfordshire
MK45 2HX
T: 0300 300 8383
Website

Berkshire

The Coroners Office
Yeomanry House
131Castle hill
Reading
Berkshire
RG1 7TA
T: 0118 937 2300
Website

Birmingham and Solihull

Coroner’s Court,
50 Newton Street,
Birmingham, B4 6NE
T: 0121 303 3920
Website

Black Country

Coroner’s Office
Smethwick Council House
High Street
West Midlands
B66 3NT
T: 0121 569 7200
Website

Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley

The Coroners Office
Blackburn Enterprise Centre
Furthergate
Blackburn
BB1 3HQ
T: 01254 505000
Website

Blackpool and Fylde

Blackpool and Fylde Coroner’s Office
Municipal Buildings
Corporation Street
Blackpool
FY1 1GB
T: 01253 477128
Website

Brighton and Hove

The Coroner’s Office
Woodvale,
Lewes Road, Brighton,
East Sussex, BN2 3QB
T: 01273 292046
Website

Buckinghamshire

Coroner’s Office
29 Windsor End
Beaconsfield (Old Town)
HP9 2JJ
T: 01494 475205
Website

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough

Senior Coroner’s Office (Peterborough)
33 Thorpe Road
Peterborough
PE3 6AB
T: 0345 0451364
Website

Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire / Sir Gaerfyrddin a Sir Benfro

Coroner’s Office,
Town Hall,
Hamilton Terrace,
Milford Haven,
Pembrokeshire, SA73 3JW
T: 01646 698129
Website

Central and South East Kent

Elphicks Farmhouse,
Hunton
Maidstone,
Kent ME15 0SB
T: 03000 41 05 02

Central Hampshire

Coroner’s Office
New King’s Court
Tollgate,
Chandlers Ford
Eastleigh, SO53 3LG

Central Lincolnshire

Coroners Office
4 Lindum road
10 Queen Street
splisby
Lincolnshire
PE23 5JE
T: 01522 555778
Website

Ceredigion

Brunton & Co.,
6 Upper Portland Street,
Aberystwyth,
Ceredigion SY23 2DU
T: 01970 612567

Cheshire

The Coroner’s Office
The Town Hall
Warrington
WA1 1UH
T: 01925 444216
Website

City of London

City Coroner’s Office,
Walbrook Wharf
78-83 Upper Thames Street,
London EC4R 3TD
T: 020 7332 1598
Website

Cornwall

The Coroner’s Office
14 Barrack Lane,
Truro, TR1 2DW
T: 01872 324438
Website

County Durham and Darlington

HM Coroner’s Office,
PO Box 282,
Bishop Auckland
DL14 4FY
T: 03000 265556
Website

Coventry

Coroner’s Office
OCU Headquarters
Little Park Street
Coventry, CV1 2JX
T: 024 7683 3345
Website

Cumbria

The Coroner’s Office
Fairfield,
Station Road,
Cockermouth CA13 9PT
T: 01900 706902
Website

Derby and Derbyshire

St. Katherine’s House,
St. Mary’s Wharf, Mansfield Rd,
Derby, DE1 3TQ
T: 01332 343225
Website

Dorset

The Coroner’s Court,
Stafford Road,
Bournemouth, BH1 1PA
T: 01202 454910
Website

East Lancashire

East Lancashire Coroner’s Office
Lyndhurst House
Todmorden Road
Burnley BB10 4AB
T: 0300 123 6705
Website

East London

Coroner’s Court,
Queen’s Road,
London, E17 8QP
T: 020 8496 5000
Website

East Riding and Hull

The Coroner’s Office and Court,
The Guildhall
Alfred Gelder Street
Hull , HU1 2AA
T: 01482 613009

East Sussex

28/29 Grand Parade,
St Leonard’s on Sea
East Sussex, TN37 6DR
T: 01424 723030
Website

Essex

Essex County Council
A Block Ground Floor
County Hall
Victoria Road South
Chelmsford,
Essex CM1 1QH
T: 0333 0135 000
Website

Exeter and Greater Devon

Coroners Office
Room 226
Devon County Court
Topsham Road
Exeter
EX2 4QL
T: 01392 383636
Website

 

Gateshead and South Tyneside

Coroner’s Office,
35 Station Road,
Hebburn,
Tyne and Wear NE31 1LA
T: 0191 483 8771
Website

Gloucestershire

Coroners Court
Corinium Avenue
Barnwood
Gloucester GL4 3DJ
T: 01452 305661
Website

Gwent

Victoria Chambers,
11 Clytha Park Road,
Newport NP20 4PB
T: 01633 264194

Hartlepool

Offices of DMA
Coroners Dept.
155 York Road,
Hartlepool,
TS26 9EQ
T: 01429 274732
Website

Herefordshire

Town Hall
St Owen Street
Hereford
HR1 2PJ
T: 01432 260565
Website

Hertfordshire

Coroner’s Office,
The Old Courthouse
St. Albans Road East,
Hatfield,
Herts. AL10 OES
T: 01707 292707
Website

Inner North London (Camley Street)

St Pancras Coroner’s Court,
Camley Street,
London,
N1C4PP
T: 020 7974 4545
Website

Inner North London (Poplar High Street)

Poplar Coroner’s Court
127 Poplar High Street
London
E14 0AE
T: 020 7974 4545
Website

Inner South London

Coroner’s Court,
1 Tennis Street,
London, SE1 1YD
T: 020 7525 4200
Website

Inner West London

Westminster Coroner’s Court,
65 Horseferry Road,
London, SW1P 2ED
T: 020 7641 1212
Website

Isle of Scilly

Coroner’s Torbay office
Carey Chambers
1 Park Steet
Torquay
TQ2 5EL
T: 01803 380705
Website

 

Isles of Wight

The Coroner’s Office,
3-9 Quay Street,
Newport,
Isle of Wight, PO30 5BB
T: 01983 535100
Website

Leicester City and South Leicestershire

Coroner’s Office
2nd Floor, Town Hall,
Town Hall Square,
Leicester, LE1 9BG
T: 0116 225 2534
Website

Liverpool and Wirral

HM Coroner’s Court,
Gerard Majella Courthouse,
Boundary Street,
Kirkdale,
Liverpool, L5 2QD
T: 0151 233 5770
Website

Manchester (City)

HM Coroner’s Office & Court
PO BOX 532
Manchester Town hall
Albert Square
Manchester
M60 2LA
T: 0161 219 2222
Website

Manchester North

Coroner’s Office,
Phoenix Centre
Church street
Heywood
OL10 1LR
T: 01706 924815
Website

Manchester South

Coroner’s Court,1,
Mount Tabor Street,
Stockport
SK1 3AG
T: 0161 474 3993
Website

Manchester West

HM Coroner’s Court
Paderborn House,
Howell Croft North,
Bolton, BL1 1QY
T: 01204 338799
Website

Mid Kent and Medway

Coroner’s Office,
Kent Register Office
The Archbishop’s Palace
Mill Street
Maidstone
Kent ME15 6YE
T: 03000 41 05 02
Website

Milton Keynes

Coroner’s Office,
Civic Offices
1 Saxon Gate East
Central Milton keynes
Bucks
MK9 3EJ
T: 01908 691691
Website

Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Coroner’s Office,
Newcastle Civic Centre,
Barras Bridge
Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8QA
T: 0191 277 7280
Website

Norfolk

Coroner’s Office
69-75 Thorpe Road
Norwich
NR1 1UA
T: 01603 276493
Website

Northamptonshire

Coroner’s Office,
110 Whitworth Road
Northampton
NN1 4HJ
T: 03000 111222
Website

North East Hampshire

Coroner’s Office
London Road
Basingstoke
Hampshire RG21 4AN
T: 01256 478119
Website

North East Kent

Coroner’s Office,
5 Lloyd Road,
Broadstairs,
Kent, CT10 1HX

North Lincolnshire and Grimsby

Coroners Office
Cleethorpes Town hall
Knoll Street
Cleethorpes
Lincolnshire
DN35 8LN
T: 01472 324005
Website

North London

Coroner’s Court,
29 Wood Street
Barnet EN5 4BE
T: 020 8447 7680
Website

North Northumberland

Coroners office
17 Church Street,
Berwick-upon-Tweed,
TD15 1EE
T: 01289 304318

North Tyneside

Coroner’s Office,
3 Stanley Street, Blyth,
Northumberland
NE24 2BS
T: 01670 354777

North Wales (East and Central)/ Gogledd Cymru (Dwyrain a Chanol)

Coroner’s Office
County Hall
Wynnstay Road
Ruthin
Denbighshire
LL15 1YN
T: 01824 708047
Website

North West Kent

Coroner’s Office,
The White House,
Melliker Lane,
Hook Green,
Meopham,
Kent DA13 0JB
T: 01474 815747

North West Wales / Gogledd Orllewin Cymru

Coroner’s Office
Maes Glas 37 Y Maes,
Castle square
Caernarfon,
Gwynedd LL55 2NN
T: 01286 672804

 

North Yorkshire (Eastern)

Forsyth House
Market Place
Malton
North Yorkshire
YO17 7LR
T: 01653 600070
Website

North Yorkshire (Western)

HM Coroner
21 Grammar School Lane
Northallerton,
North Yorkshire
DL6 1DF
T: 01609 533 843
Website

Nottinghamshire and Nottingham

Coroners Office,
Office and Main Court,
The Council House,
Old Market Square,
Nottingham NG1 2DT
T: 0115 841 5553
Website

Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire Coroner’s Service,
Oxford Registration Office,
Second Floor, 1 Tidmarsh Lane,
Oxford, OX1 1NS
T: 0845 605 4174
Website

Plymouth Torbay and South Devon

Coroner’s Torbay office
Carey Chambers
1 Park Steet
Torquay
TQ2 5EL
T: 01392 383636
Website

Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

Coroner’s Office
The Guildhall
Guildhall Square
Portsmouth P01 2AB
T: 023 9268 8326
Website

Preston and West Lancashire

Coroner’s Court,
2 Faraday Court
Faraday Drive,
Fulwood, Preston PR2 9NB
T: 01772 703700
Website

Rutland and North Leicestershire

Coroner’s Office
Southfield Road
Loughborough
Leicestershire
LE11 2TR
T: 0116 305 7732
Website

Sefton, St Helens and Knowsley

Coroner’s Office,
Southport Town Hall
Lord Street,
Southport, PR8 1DA

Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin

HM Coroner’s Service
3rd Floor
The Guildhall
Frankwell Quay
Shrewsbury SY3 8HQ

Somerset (Eastern)

Coroners
Faulkners Solicitors,
22 Bath Street,
Frome,
Somerset, BA11 1DL

Somerset (Western)

Coroner’s Office,
Blackbrook Gate,
Blackbrook Park Avenue,
Taunton,
Somerset, TA1 2PG

South Lincolnshire

Office of HM Coroner
Unit 1, Gilbert Drive Endeavour Business Park
Wyberton Fen
Boston, Lincolnshire PE21 7TQ

South London

Coroner’s Office
St Blaise Buildings,
Bromley Civic Centre,
Stockwell Close,
Bromley BRI 3UH

South Northumberland

Coroner’s Office,
3 Stanley Street,
Blyth,
Northumberland NE24 2BS

South Staffordshire

Coroner’s Office,
No 1 Staffordshire Place
Stafford ST16 2LP

South Wales and Central

The Coroners Office
1st Floor Rock Grounds
Aberdare
CF44 7AE

South Yorkshire (East)

Coroner’s Office,
The Crown Court College Road
Doncaster
DN1 3HS

South Yorkshire (West)

Coroner’s Office,
Medico-Legal Centre,
Watery Street,
Sheffield, S3 7ES

Southampton and New Forest

Coroner’s Court,
12-18 Hulse Rd
Southampton
S015 2JX

Stoke on Trent and North Staffordshire

Coroner’s Chambers,
547 Hartshill Road,
Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 6HF

Suffolk

Coroner’s office
Floor 3
Landmark House
Egerton Rd
Ipswich,
Suffolk IP1 5PE

Sunderland

Office of HM Coroner
Civic Centre, Burdon Road
Sunderland, SR2 7DN

Surrey

HM Coroner’s Court
Station Approach
Woking
Surrey GU22 7AP

Swansea and Neath Port Talbot/ Abertawe a Chastellnedd Port Talbot

Coroner’s Office
Civic Centre
Oystermouth Road
Swansea, SA1 3SN

Teesside

Coroner’s Office,
Register Office,
Corporation Road,
Middlesbrough
TS1 2DA

Warwickshire

Warwickshire Justice Centre
Newbold Terrace
Leamington Spa
CV32 4EL

West London

Coroner’s Court,
25 Bagleys Lane,
London, SW6 2QA

West Sussex

Coroner’s Office,
3 Orchard Street
Chichester
West Sussex PO19 1DD

West Yorkshire (Eastern) – Northgate

Coroner’s Office,
71 Northgate,
Wakefield, WF1 3BS

West Yorkshire (Eastern) – Belgrave Street

Coroner’s Office,
Symons House
Belgrave Street
Leeds, LS2 8DD

West Yorkshire (Western)

Coroner’s Office,
City Courts,
The Tyrls,
Bradford, BD1 1LA

Wiltshire and Swindon

Coroners Office
26 Endless Street
Salisbury, SP1 1DP

Worcestershire

The Court House,
Bewdley Road,
Stourport on Severn,
Worcs. DY13 8XE

York

Coroner’s Office,
Sentinel House,
Peasholme Green,
York, YO1 7PP