Hillsborough Independent Panel and the 2014 to 2016 Hillsborough inquests: findings and what happened next

The crush at Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield on 15 April 1989, in which 96 Liverpool supporters died.

Implementation, as of 15 July 2026The Hillsborough Law had passed the House of Commons and was before the House of Lords as of July 2026.

What the inquiry found

The Hillsborough Independent Panel report, based on about 450,000 documents, set out evidence of a police effort to shift blame onto Liverpool supporters.¹
Following the panel report, the High Court quashed the 1991 accidental death verdicts on 19 December 2012 and ordered new inquests.¹
On 26 April 2016 the inquest jury found that the 96 were unlawfully killed and that supporters' behaviour did not contribute, pointing to police decisions and stadium layout.¹
A 2017 review for the Home Office by Bishop James Jones set out 25 points of learning, including a proposed duty of candour for police.^1,2

The 2017 Jones review made 25 points of learning, including a proposed Public Authority (Accountability) Bill and a duty of candour.^1,3

21 August 2018All charges against former police officer Sir Norman Bettison were dropped.¹
3 April 2019Former match commander David Duckenfield was acquitted of gross negligence manslaughter. Former Sheffield Wednesday secretary Graham Mackrell was convicted of a safety offence and fined 6,500 pounds.¹
6 December 2023The government responded to the Jones review, signed the Hillsborough Charter and declined at that time to legislate a general duty of candour.¹
14 July 2026The House of Commons passed the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, known as the Hillsborough Law, which creates a statutory duty of candour for public authorities. The bill moved to the House of Lords.⁴