Explanatory note

The Cremation (England and Wales) Regulations 2008 set out the conditions that must be met before the body of a deceased person may be cremated.

These regulations amend the 2008 Regulations to reflect the changes to section 4 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (c. 25) that were brought about by section 39 of the Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 (c. 35) and which allow a coroner to discontinue an investigation where a cause of death becomes clear before inquest, whether this is revealed by a post-mortem examination or by other information. These regulations enable a coroner who discontinues an investigation under section 4 of the 2009 Act (as amended) to issue a certificate of coroner (form Cremation 6) for the purposes of an application for cremation of the remains of the deceased. Form Cremation 6 is amended to provide an additional option for certification where an investigation has been discontinued because the cause of death has become clear whether by post-mortem examination or from other information.