Investigations following a death and inquests


The following organisations provide support to bereaved families and can assist with finding legal representation:

  • Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA)
    Provide specialist and expert advocacy and specialist peer support to families and friends bereaved by domestic homicide, domestic abuse related suicides and unexplained deaths in the context of domestic abuse.

  • INQUEST
    Support bereaved families in deaths which involve potential responsibility by state bodies or corporate bodies, including domestic homicides.

  • Support After Murder and Manslaughter 
    Provides a wide range of peer support services to people bereaved by murder and manslaughter. Not specifically for domestic homicides.

  • Victim Support Homicide Service
    Offers family and friends support following the death of a loved one from murder or manslaughter.

  • Compassionate Friend
    Support for families when a child has been murdered

  • Murdered abroad
    Charity assisting following murders abroad

To find a solicitor to take on a case

The charities above can assist in finding specialist solicitors. In particular AAFDA and INQUEST have contacts with specialist solicitors who do legal aid cases.

Many solicitors who do civil cases against the police also have expertise in inquests, but they may not have experience of cases involving domestic abuse.

  • Gov.UK legal aid lawyers search engine
    This is a directory of all solicitors with a legal aid contract around the country – enter the town or postcode and tick ‘claims against public authorities’

Legal aid financial eligibility

If an inquest is due to take place where there are questions to be explored about the police or other state agencies being in contact with the victim or perpetrator before the death and there may be issues around failures by those agencies, legal aid known as ‘exceptional funding’ for inquests will usually be available.

In some cases there will not be any financial means test, where the Coroner has confirmed that the inquest will be an ‘Article 2 inquest’. In other cases the bereaved family will have to provide their financial details but if they are over the limit for legal aid they may receive a waiver so they can still get legal aid, or in some cases they may have to pay a contribution towards their legal aid. If a family member comes below the financial means limit they will not need to pay a contribution.

 

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