Help and advice Our services Help and advice Due to the exceptional number of inquest hearings taking place in April and reduced team capacity, our casework service is closed to all new enquiries. We aim to reopen the advice line on Tuesday 30 April. Please contact us then. In the meantime you may find our online Handbook and Factsheets helpful. What families want is effective change so others don’t die because of the same failings. The involvement and support of INQUEST brings all this together. I have a lifelong loyalty to INQUEST. They provide you with support you just can’t get from anywhere else. - Bereaved brother We provide free and independent advice on the inquest process and related investigations following a death in state detention or care in England and Wales, and in some other cases where the conduct of the state or corporate bodies are in question. We are entirely independent of the government and do not take government funding. This enables us to offer unbiased advice. This is also essential in our work to drive systemic change in legislation, policy and practice to prevent future deaths. OUR AREAS OF EXPERTISE From 4 November 2023, following a reduction in our capacity and funding, and the high demand on our service, we are only able to assist if the death falls into one of the below circumstances: · in prison (including Young Offender Institutions, Secure Training Centres) · in police custody or following recent police contact · in immigration detention · in mental health facilities as either a voluntary or detained inpatient · and deaths of individuals with a learning disability and/or autism in a state funded care setting. Where the death appears to be from a natural cause in a detention setting, we will only be able to assist in exceptional circumstances and dependent on our capacity at the time. We are not able to advise on matters relating to medical malpractice. We suggest contacting Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) or seeking other sources of support. WHAT WE OFFER As part of our specialist casework service, we provide expert advice and assistance on all aspects of post death investigation and inquest processes including the rights of bereaved people. Practical examples of assistance include helping families navigate the legal processes, exploring options for legal representation and funding, and work with families to engage meaningfully in the investigation and inquest. We are non-judgemental in relation to the background or actions of an individual who has died. Read more about INQUEST, our values and our impact. Please note we are a small team and the level of assistance we can provide is dependent on our capacity at the time. CONTACT USIf you have an existing case with INQUEST, please contact your caseworker directly via email or by calling 020 8263 1111. Due to the exceptional number of inquest hearings taking place in April and reduced team capacity, our casework service is closed to all new enquiries. We aim to reopen the advice line on Tuesday 30 April. Please contact us then. CASES OUTSIDE OF OUR CRITERIA Unfortunately, we do not have the resources or capacity to provide a casework service for deaths that do not fall within our expertise and case criteria, as set out above. However, we can: where applicable, signpost you to other specialist organisations or lawyers who may be able to assist. Also see other sources of support. provide information via our frequently asked question Factsheets. provide a free copy of the INQUEST handbook online. The INQUEST handbook is a free and trusted guide for bereaved families and friends affected by a sudden death that involves an inquest. Visit the useful resources page for further information.