Domestic Homicide and Suicide Reviews in Scotland: Statutory Guidance

Establishing a Domestic Homicide or Domestic Abuse Related Suicide Review

Section 3 – Death Notifications and Referrals

3.1. Death Notification and Referral

There are two routes by which a domestic homicide or domestic abuse related suicide review may be initiated – by notification or referral. Regardless of whether a death is notified or referred for consideration, only deaths that occurred on or after 1 April 2026 will be considered for review under the 2025 Act. This means that deaths that occurred prior to 1 April 2026, even where they meet the review criteria, will not be reviewed.

3.2. Death Notification

The 2025 Act sets out that a notifying body is to submit a death notification where it believes a death is reviewable. Notifications are to be made in writing using the notification template which has been shared with the notifying bodies. A copy of the notification must be provided to the Scottish Ministers. The notifying bodies are:

• the Chief Constable of Police Scotland;
• the Lord Advocate; and
• the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC)

Notifications should be submitted to the Review Oversight Committee (see section 5) within 7 days following a death where possible. The 7 day timescale is for notifications only.

3.3. Death Referral

The other route by which a death can be considered for review is where the Scottish Ministers become aware of a death which they believe is, or may be, a reviewable death and which has not been notified. They can then refer the death to the Review Oversight Committee.

A case may for example be drawn to the attention of the Scottish Ministers where there is a death overseas or in another part of the UK where the person who has died has a connection to Scotland. However, anyone can bring any death to the attention of the Scottish Ministers if they believe a death is or may be reviewable. This includes family members, friends, colleagues, and members of the community. Agencies and professionals can also make the Scottish Ministers aware of any death. Such agencies or individuals may include those who were in contact with the victim and/ or perpetrator, children or young people where relevant. Similar to a death notification, a referral by the Scottish Ministers to the Review Oversight Committee is also to be made in writing but unlike a notification, there is no expectation that it should be made within 7 days following a death.

3.4. Submitting a Death Notification or Referral

Death notifications and referrals should be submitted in writing using either the notification template – (Police Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), and the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) or the referral template (Scottish Ministers). Completed notifications and referrals are to be submitted to the domestic homicide and suicide review mailbox dhsrmodel@gov.scot. This is a secure mailbox which has been specifically set up to enable highly sensitive information to be sent and received safely and securely.

On receiving a death notification or referral, the death will be logged by the Secretariat (see section 5.15). Notifications will be shared with the Review Oversight Committee Chair and Deputy Chair, the Review Oversight Committee and Scottish Ministers. In the case of referrals, these will be shared with the Review Oversight Committee Chair and Deputy, Review Oversight Committee and each of the notifying bodies (Lord Advocate, Chief Constable and the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner).

Those who submit a death notification or referral will immediately receive an acknowledgement through an automated electronic system.

It should be noted that it is not for the notifying bodies or Scottish Ministers to determine whether or not a death is reviewable, they only need to believe it is or (in the case of a referral only) that it may be reviewable. It is for the Review Oversight Committee to determine whether a death meets the criteria and whether a review is to be undertaken.