COVID-19 Inquiry: Timeline

Key dates in the inquiry's progress, assembled from its recorded milestones and hearing phases.

Hearing-phase dates are taken from the published hearing days; some earlier milestone dates are approximate where the inquiry has not published an exact date.

Milestones & hearing phases

Milestone Hearing phase Reports & costs Still to come
12 May 2021
Inquiry announced
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a statutory public inquiry.
15 Dec 2021
Chair Appointed
Baroness Hallett appointed as Chair.
28 Jun 2022
Terms of Reference published
Terms of Reference finalised after consultation.
4 Oct 2022 to 4 Nov 2025
Procedural / preliminary hearing
22 sitting days
13 Jun 2023 to 5 Mar 2026
Evidential hearings
189 sitting days
18 Jul 2024
Module 1 report published
First report on pandemic preparedness published.
20 Nov 2025
Module 2 report published
The Inquiry published its report on core UK decision-making and political governance (Modules 2, 2A, 2B and 2C).
31 Dec 2025
Further Modules Planned
Modules on vaccines, care sector, and other topics planned through 2026.
5 Mar 2026
Hearings conclude
The Inquiry concluded its public hearings with Module 10, after 32 preliminary and 242 public hearing days involving 663 witnesses.
19 Mar 2026
Module 3 report published
The Inquiry published its report on the impact of the pandemic on healthcare systems in the four nations (Module 3).
31 Mar 2026
Costs to date: £213.7m
Financial Report to 31 March 2026 (Q4 2025-26)
16 Apr 2026
Module 4 report published
The Inquiry published its report on vaccines and therapeutics (Module 4).
14 Jul 2026
Module 5 report published
The Inquiry published its report on procurement (Module 5).
To be confirmed
Final report (to be confirmed)
The inquiry has not yet reported.