# Donating your body to medical science: consent, what happens and funerals

> To donate your body to medical science in the UK, contact your nearest medical school while you're alive and sign its consent form in front of a witness. Nobody can give consent for you after your death. Donations can be declined, so have a back-up funeral plan. Afterwards, the medical school usually arranges a cremation and holds a thanksgiving service.

Source: https://funeralfinder.org/uk/guides/donating-your-body-to-science/ — updated 2026-09-25 — FuneralFinder

Donating your body to a medical school is a generous gift. Donors help students, surgeons and researchers learn about the human body. It takes some planning, because the decision has to be made and recorded during your life, and a donation can't always be accepted. This guide explains how it works across the UK, and what it means for a funeral.

## Key points

- **You must give consent yourself, in writing, with a witness**, before you die.
- **Your family cannot consent on your behalf** after your death.
- **Contact your nearest medical school**, which provides the consent form.
- **A donation can be declined** at the time of death, so have a back-up funeral plan.
- **Organ donation for transplant takes priority** and usually rules out body donation.
- **Afterwards, the medical school usually arranges a cremation** and holds a thanksgiving service.

## Who regulates body donation?

| Nation | Law | Regulator |
|---|---|---|
| **England, Wales and Northern Ireland** | Human Tissue Act 2004 | Human Tissue Authority (HTA), which licenses and inspects medical schools |
| **Scotland** | Anatomy Act 1984, as amended by the Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006 | HM Inspector of Anatomy for Scotland |

The HTA doesn't accept donations or keep a register of donors. You deal directly with a medical school. In Scotland, five universities accept donated bodies: Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews.

## How to register as a donor

1. **Talk to your family and executor** so they know what to do.
2. **Find your nearest medical school.** In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the HTA's website has a postcode finder. In Scotland, the Scottish Government lists the five universities' bequest coordinators.
3. **Complete the consent form** the school sends you, and sign it in front of a witness.
4. **Keep a copy with your will**, and tell your GP and executor.

Medical schools normally accept donations only from their local area. A school further away may agree if your estate pays the extra transport costs.

### Consent rules at a glance

| | England, Wales and NI | Scotland |
|---|---|---|
| Who can consent | Only you, before death | Only you, before death |
| Form | Written, signed and witnessed | Signed declaration, witnessed by one adult |
| Young people | Ask the medical school | From age 12, with two adult witnesses |
| Upper age limit | None | None |
| Via a will only | Possible, but a form is recommended | Possible, but the university decides; a form is recommended |

Don't rely only on your will. Wills are often read after the time when a donation could have been arranged. If you do mention it in your will or a letter, make clear you mean **anatomical examination** (teaching anatomy by dissection), not just "medical research", or the school may have to decline. If you can't physically write, the HTA's model forms allow a representative to sign for you during your life, in front of a witness.

## Why a donation might not be accepted

No medical school can guarantee acceptance. The decision is made at the time of death. Reasons can include:

- a **post-mortem**, including one ordered by a coroner
- certain **infections**
- **recent surgery** where wounds haven't healed, or a **major amputation**
- **severe bedsores**, some conditions such as **dementia**, or significant **size or weight**
- **organs donated for transplant**
- **holiday closures**, such as Christmas, or a lack of space.

If the donation isn't accepted, the family must arrange a funeral in the usual way, so it's important to leave back-up wishes. Our [funeral wishes tool](/tools/funeral-wishes/) can help.

## Organ donation and body donation

You can register as an organ donor and a body donor. If you die in circumstances where organ donation is possible, transplantation comes first, and a medical school will usually then decline the body. Donating only your corneas may still allow body donation.

The opt-out ("deemed consent") system for organ donation doesn't apply to body donation, which always needs your own written consent. If you'd rather be a body donor and never an organ donor, you can record an opt-out decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register.

## What happens when the donor dies

- **The next of kin or executor phones the medical school** as soon as possible. Some schools are closed at weekends and on bank holidays, so leave a message.
- **The death is registered** in the usual way. See [how to register a death](/uk/guides/how-to-register-a-death/).
- **The school decides quickly** whether it can accept the donation, often after speaking to the doctor.
- **If accepted,** the school's funeral director collects the person. The estate may have to pay for any care from another funeral director before this.

## How long is the body kept?

- **England, Wales and Northern Ireland:** the HTA's model consent form lets the donor choose, for example a maximum of three years, or no time limit, and whether any parts may be kept for longer. Check your school's form.
- **Scotland:** the law allows universities to keep a body for up to three years. Parts can be kept longer only if the donor gave permission.

## Funerals and memorials

Donating your body doesn't mean there's no chance to say goodbye.

- **A memorial service** can be held soon after the death, without the body. Many families hold a celebration of life. See [what happens at a funeral](/uk/guides/what-happens-at-a-funeral/) and [how to write a eulogy](/uk/guides/how-to-write-a-eulogy/).
- **Cremation.** When the school has finished, it usually arranges and pays for a cremation. Family may be invited to a short service.
- **Ashes.** Next of kin can usually collect the ashes or have them scattered at the crematorium. In Scotland, cremations are carried out individually.
- **Private funeral.** The family may be able to ask for a private burial or cremation at their own expense. Not all schools offer burial.
- **Thanksgiving services.** Medical schools often hold an annual service for donors' families.

## Other ways to help medical research

If whole-body donation isn't right for you, you could register as an organ donor, or ask about **brain donation** through a brain bank. The HTA's website has information on brain and tissue donation.

## Next steps

- Record your wishes, including a back-up plan, with our [funeral wishes tool](/tools/funeral-wishes/).
- Consider a [funeral plan](/uk/guides/funeral-plans/) or [direct cremation](/uk/direct-cremation/) as a fallback.
- Read about [how to plan a funeral](/uk/guides/how-to-plan-a-funeral/).

## Frequently asked questions

### Can my family donate my body after I die?

No. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Human Tissue Act 2004 requires written, witnessed consent from you before your death, and nobody else can give it, even with power of attorney. Scotland also requires a signed, witnessed declaration from the donor.

### Can I be an organ donor and donate my body?

You can register for both, but medical schools usually decline a body if organs have been removed for transplant, and transplant takes priority. Donating only your corneas may still allow body donation. Tell your family about both wishes.

### Why might a body donation be refused?

Common reasons include a post-mortem, certain infections, recent unhealed surgery, major amputations, severe bedsores, some conditions such as dementia, the size of the body, organ donation and the time of year, as some schools can't accept bodies over Christmas and other holidays.

### Is there a funeral if I donate my body?

Not usually at the time of death, but the family can hold a memorial service. When the medical school has finished, it usually arranges a cremation, sometimes with a short service, and many schools hold an annual thanksgiving service for donors' families.

### Does it cost anything to donate your body?

You won't be paid, and there's usually little cost to the estate. Some medical schools ask the estate to contribute to transport, especially if the person lived outside the school's area. The estate may also pay for care before the school accepts the donation, or for a private funeral if the family wants one.

### Will the family get the ashes back?

Usually, yes, if they ask. Next of kin can normally choose to collect the ashes or have them scattered in the crematorium's garden of remembrance. Check the arrangements with your medical school.

## Sources

- [Human Tissue Authority – Body donation](https://www.hta.gov.uk/guidance-public/body-organ-and-tissue-donation/body-donation-medical-schools)
- [Human Tissue Authority – Medical school and body donation FAQs](https://www.hta.gov.uk/body-donation-faqs)
- [Human Tissue Authority – Model bequest booklet and consent form (template)](https://www.hta.gov.uk/guidance-professionals/guidance-sector/anatomy/model-consent-forms-anatomy-schools)
- [Human Tissue Authority – Acceptance of donor consent for anatomical examination](https://www.hta.gov.uk/guidance-professionals/guidance-sector/anatomy/acceptance-donor-consent-anatomical-examination)
- [gov.scot – Body donation in Scotland: guidance](https://www.gov.scot/publications/body-donation-in-scotland-guidance/)
- [gov.scot – Body donation in Scotland: additional information](https://www.gov.scot/publications/body-donation-in-scotland-guidance/pages/additional-information/)