Assistant Coroner

Assistant Coroner for Berkshire

Salary – fee paid, £516 per day

Closing date:
Sunday 22nd March 2026 at 0:00 (midnight)

Reading Borough Council is seeking to appoint a new Assistant Coroner to support the Senior and Area Coroner across the full range of Coroner duties in order to deliver a high-quality Coroner service to the people of Berkshire.

Successful candidates will be required to attend a mandatory Assistant Coroner Induction training course on 1-2 December 2026 and a follow up course in June 2027 (date to be confirmed).

Reading Borough Council is looking for an exceptional candidate with excellent proven organisational, management and efficiency skills, as well as experience of exercising sound judgement and communicating effectively. You will work closely with the Senior Coroner and Area Coroner to ensure the running of an efficient Coroner service that puts the bereaved at the heart of its service.

You will be required to demonstrate knowledge and experience of Coroner law and have experience in conducting investigations and an understanding of court procedure. You will also need to demonstrate the excellent communication and interpersonal skills necessary to deal with sensitive situations.

The successful candidate will be required to carry out the duties and responsibilities of a Coroner as defined in the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 and associated rules and regulations and as further described in various guidance issued by the Chief Coroner.

Assistant Coroners are required to sit a minimum of 20 days a year. These are fee paid positions although they are likely to involve a regular commitment, which is to be agreed between the Assistant Coroner, Senior Coroner and the local authority.

The successful candidate will be a barrister or a solicitor or Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives and satisfy the judicial-appointment eligibility condition which means they will have 5 years of experience whilst holding that qualification. They will be under the age of 75 and be subject to the appointment and eligibility conditions within the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (s.23 and Schedule
3) –

Once a Coroner is appointed, they are then a Judicial Office holder until they reach the age of 75 years (compulsory retirement age) unless they choose to resign or are removed by the Lord Chief Justice or Lord Chancellor prior to their 75th birthday.

The candidate pack is available here:

If you wish to have an informal discussion or arrange a visit, please contact either Rhiannon Charnock, Coroners Team Manager or Mrs Heidi Connor, Senior Coroner on .

Suitably qualified applicants are requested to upload their CV and supporting statement (which should include disclosure of any convictions or disciplinary proceedings) to: