Coroner officers are set to transfer to Waltham Forest Council's funding following an executive decision made on Friday, August 14, 2026. The move will see these eleven officers transition from employment by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to the London Borough of Waltham Forest (LBWF).
A funding agreement has been approved between the MPS and LBWF, which will cover the salary costs of the Coroner Officers over a four-year period. The MPS will provide 100% of the funding for the first two years (2026/27 and 2027/28), followed by 50% in 2028/29, and 25% in 2029/30. This tapering of MPS funding means the coronial jurisdiction will need to cover increasing portions of the costs in the later years of the agreement, with the jurisdiction covering 50% of costs in 2028/29 and 75% in 2029/30. The current annual cost for the eleven Coroner Officers is £675,388, with projected annual costs increasing to £738,015 in 2029/30.
The transfer of Coroner Officers from the MPS to local authority employment was necessitated by budget cutting proposals
from the MPS. The MPS wrote to all London lead coronial lead councils on January 15th, 2025, requesting this transfer by October 2028. The agreement reached is considered an improvement on the MPS's initial proposal, offering better budget planning and reduced bureaucratic demands.
Waltham Forest Council serves as the lead local authority for the Eastern Coronial jurisdiction, which also includes Newham, Redbridge, Havering, and Barking and Dagenham. Under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, local authorities are responsible for the running costs of the Coroner Service.
Historically, the MPS funded Coroner Officers across London. However, due to budget cuts, the MPS requested their transfer to local authority employment by October 2028. The transfer of staff will be managed in accordance with the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice (COSoP), ensuring that the Coroner Officers' terms and conditions remain no less favourable upon transfer, aligning with the principles of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE).
Mechanisms are in place to ensure accountability and oversight of the Coroner Service. Representatives of the Lead Local Authority and the MPS will meet at least once every six months to appraise performance and verify the use of funding. The Lead Local Authority's section 151 officer will issue an annual report to the MPS confirming the utilization of the funding. The Lead Local Authority will also provide the MPS with necessary information and documentation, and make original documents or verified copies available to the MPS, the National Audit Office, and other relevant auditing authorities.
The projected total cost of the Coroner Service over the four-year funding agreement is detailed in Appendix 2 of the Public reports pack. The report confirmed there were no equality, diversity, or sustainability issues associated with this transfer.
