Help and advice Our services Help and advice Update from INQUEST in response to Covid-19 on 17 March 2020 INQUEST continue to prioritise our advice and casework service and our usual services are currently available, as described below. As the situation unfolds, we will provide regular updates via our website and social media on the provision and availability of our services and other support agencies. Read the full update here. 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 Specialist casework We provide free and independent advice to bereaved people following a death in state care or custody in England and Wales, and in other cases where wider issues of state and corporate accountability are in question. We are entirely independent of government. This enables us to offer unbiased advice on the options which might be open to you. This is also essential in our work to drive systemic change in legislation, policy and practice to prevent future deaths. Our specialist casework and expertise covers deaths in the circumstances below: prison (including Young Offender Institutions and Secure Training Centres) police custody or following police contact immigration detention mental health settings public disasters such as Grenfell Tower and Hillsborough deaths involving multi-agency failings We provide information and advice on all aspects of the post death investigation and inquest processes including the rights of bereaved people. Practical examples of support include helping families navigate the legal processes, exploring options for legal representation and funding, and empowering families to play a meaningful role in the investigation and inquest. We can also put families in touch with each other for mutual support and the opportunity to meet other families through our Family Forums. Read more on our family hub. The families we work alongside report feeling less isolated and more supported. Our way of working is collaborative and we are non-judgemental in relation to the background or actions of an individual who has died. Read more INQUEST, our values and our impact. The INQUEST team will not waiver from our commitment to standing shoulder to shoulder with families in the search for truth, justice and accountability following contentious state related deaths. Help and advice Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to provide a full casework service for deaths that do not involve the above circumstances. If the case is out of remit, we can still: provide a free copy of the INQUEST handbook, available in print and online where applicable, signpost to other specialist organisations who can provide advice around inquests or deliver bereavement support 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. Contact our casework team If you are looking for help and advice after your relative has died in the circumstances listed above contact our casework team. CONTACT US