Body donation FAQs

Frequently asked questions about body donation.

• Will the body donation consent form I signed 10 years ago still be accepted?
• I have recently moved to a different part of the country. Will I need to fill in a new body donation consent form?
• Can I donate my body if I am also on the NHS Organ Donor Register?
• Are there ary limitations or conditions to body donation?
• What happens if my body is not accepted?
• If I donate my body, will there be a funeral or memorial service?
• Are there any costs or payments involved?

I signed a body donation consent form 10 years ago and recently heard that a new law, affecting body donation, came into force in 2006. Will the consent form I originally signed be accepted when I die or must I complete a new form?

Although the new law affecting body donation (the Human Tissue Act 2004) came into force on 1 September 2006, it allows documented and valid consent for body donation made under the old law to be honoured. To avoid any unnecessary confusion or delays after you die, it is recommended that you include an updated intention to donate your body in your Will. More details can be obtained directly from the anatomy establishment to which you wish to donate your body.

Contact details for medical schools are available to download from the left side of this page.

I have recently moved to a different part of the country. Will I need to fill in a new body donation consent form?

Not necessarily. A form completed for one anatomy establishment might also be acceptable to another. More details can be obtained directly from the anatomy establishment to which you wish to donate your body.

If you have moved to a new area of the country, but still want to donate your body to the anatomy establishment linked to your old post code, please contact the establishment for more details. Some medical schools may request that your estate contributes to the cost of transporting your body if the donation falls outside of the medical school’s local area.

Contact details for medical schools are available to download from the left side of this page.

Can I donate my body if I am also on the organ transplant donor register?
 
People who choose to donate their body or organs do so in the hope that they will be useful to others after their death. Despite being separate donation systems, it is possible for a person to be registered as an organ donor and to have registered their wish to donate their body, after death, to a medical school.

Medical schools will usually decline a body donation if the person has undergone surgery to remove organs for transplantation. However, if after their death, the person is found unsuitable to be an organ donor, then body donation to a medical school can be taken forward by the relatives, solicitor or executor of the Will.

If a person wishes to register for both organ donation and body donation, the HTA suggests that the person includes this in their Will and ensures that those closest to them are aware of their wishes.

For more information on organ donation please visit the NHS Blood and Transplant website.

Are there any limitations or conditions to body donation?
 
All medical schools welcome the offer of a donation. However, certain medical conditions may lead to the offer being declined. These conditions and any other reasons for a body donation being declined can be obtained from each medical school.

Contact details for medical schools are available to download from the left side of this page.

What happens if my body is not accepted?
 
If a medical school is unable to accept your donation, they may be able to help you find another school which can accept your body.

However, if no medical school is able to accept your offer, your estate will need to make suitable funeral arrangements.

If I donate my body, will there be a funeral or memorial service?
 
Medical schools will usually arrange for donated bodies to be cremated, unless the family requests the return of the body for a private burial or cremation.

Medical schools may hold a memorial service. Further information can be obtained directly from the medical school.

Contact details for medical schools are available to download from the right-hand side of this page.

Are there any costs or payments involved?
 
You will not receive any payment for donating your body.

Some medical schools may request that the donor’s estate contribute to the cost of transporting the body, particularly if the donation falls outside of the medical school’s local area. Full details can be obtained directly from the medical school.

Contact details for medical schools are available to download from the left side of this page.