A Bill to allow adults who are terminally ill, subject to safeguards, to be assisted to end their own life; and for connected purposes.
House of Lords
30 April 2026
May contain errors — check source documents for definitive information.
The bill would allow adults who are terminally ill to be assisted to end their own life, but only under strict safeguards. It would apply to England and Wales and create a formal process with consent, medical certification, and High Court involvement, plus a new register for assisted deaths; if enacted, the rules would take effect two years after enactment.
The bill is at the first reading stage in the Lords (introduced July 2024). A later government note in 2026 indicates neutrality and plans to consult on a detailed regulatory regime for substances if the bill becomes law, but no delivery model has been prepared ahead of passage.
Generated 21 February 2026
26 Jul 2024
The 2024-26 session of Parliament has prorogued and this bill will make no further progress.
The Government remains neutral on the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults Bill and says Clause 37(2) would empower regulations on approved substances used in assisted dying, including their supply, handling, storage, transport and disposal. It notes that Amendment 713C, which tries to specify production and distribution controls, has workability and drafting problems. If the Bill becomes law, the Government would consult stakeholders to develop a detailed, safe regulatory regime for approved substances, but no delivery model has been prepared ahead of passage.
The bill would legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults in England and Wales, requiring the person to be 18+, have a voluntary, informed wish, and be diagnosed as terminal with a prognosis of up to six months, with capacity and residence requirements. A declaration must be supported by an attending doctor and an independent doctor, and High Court approval is needed; safeguards cover coercion, information about care options, and penalties for breaches. It creates a regulatory framework with prescriptions, codes of practice, annual reporting, and new death registration as 'assisted death', with the act taking effect two years after enactment and protections for conscientious objection.
No recorded votes for this bill yet.
