What is the UK Covid-19 Inquiry?

An independent public inquiry established to examine the UK's response to and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and to learn lessons for the future. The Inquiry has finished its public hearings and is regularly publishing reports containing findings and recommendations.

The Chair of the Inquiry, Baroness Heather Hallett, sets out her recommendations from Module 5.

On Tuesday 14th July 2026, the Inquiry published its fifth report and recommendations following its investigation into procurement. The fifth module considered the procurement and distribution to end-users across the four nations of the United Kingdom of key healthcare related equipment and supplies, including PPE, ventilators and oxygen. A further five reports will follow with autumn 2026 seeing the publication of the Module 6 report, examining the care sector.

This live broadcast has ended. You can play it back below or on our YouTube channel (opens in new tab).

Warning: Occasional strong language may form part of evidence.


Module 4: Vaccines and therapeutics

The Inquiry published its fourth report and recommendations following its investigation into ‘Vaccines and therapeutics’ on Thursday 16 April 2026. It examines the development and deployment of vaccines and therapeutics in the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Read the report

Every Story Matters

Thank you to everyone who has shared their story

This was the largest listening exercise ever undertaken by a UK public Inquiry with 58,000 experiences shared. These stories will continue to play a crucial role supporting the Chair, Baroness Heather Hallett, to write her reports and make her recommendations.

The Inquiry has announced its plans to to loan the entire archive to a trusted research environment at the UK Data Service. Accredited researchers, including from government and academia, can be granted restricted access in a secure and controlled virtual environment, for research purposes only.

Every Story Matters Records
Every Story Matters banner

News

Updates from the Inquiry

Picture of module 5 report front cover

Failures and systemic flaws left frontline workers without adequate PPE and wasted billions, Inquiry finds

Baroness Hallett, Chair of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, today publishes her fifth report. It examines how the UK government and devolved administrations procured and distributed vital healthcare equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic and makes recommendations for the future. Module 5 Procurement', the fifth of the...

  • Date: 14 July 2026

Carers Week: 'It got too much' and 'very, very lonely' - the stories of unpaid carers during the pandemic

The UK Covid-19 Inquiry is marking Carers Week (8–14 June) by sharing what unpaid carers have told us about their experiences during the pandemic, including stories of burnout, stress, trauma, loss and grief. 

  • Date: 8 June 2026

Find out about:

Documents

Our document library holds all publications, evidence, reports and records related to investigations and the running of the Inquiry.

Structure of the Inquiry

Information about the topics of investigations (modules) that will be explored to deliver on the aims of the Inquiry.

Terms of Reference

The Inquiry has now received its final Terms of Reference, which set out the topics of the Inquiry’s investigations into the UK’s pandemic response.