Coroners Act 2009

A senior next of kin of a deceased person may, by instrument in writing, authorise another person to exercise his or her functions as senior next of kin under this Part.

In such a case, the person so authorised—

may make a request under this Part if a copy of his or her authority to exercise the functions of the senior next of kin is provided to the coroner or assistant coroner concerned with that request, and

is taken, for the purposes of this Part (other than subsection (1)), to be the senior next of kin of the deceased person.

If a request by the senior next of kin of a deceased person for a post mortem examination not to be conducted on the deceased person has been refused under section 96(5), the senior next of kin may not authorise another person to make the request.