Today in Westminster, the UK Parliament debated a bill to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults in England and Wales. Most MPs voted in favour of the bill, 330 in favour to 275 against. This means it will be debated in more detail by the House of Commons and House of Lords. This process will take many months.
Kim Leadbetter MP brought forward this Private Members Bill after the planned debate in April 2024 was cancelled because a General Election was called. Legislation on assisted dying is also moving through the Scottish Parliament and the Tynwald Court of the Isle of Man. In Jersey, the States Assembly have approved assisted dying in principle and are bringing forward laws expected to come into force in 2027.
You can read about other UK legislation and the background to the assisted dying debate in our article.
If the bill considered today were to become law, it would legalise assisted dying for people who have mental capacity to make such a decision, have been given a terminal diagnosis and are expected to die within 6 months. There are layers of safeguards involving doctors and judges. This is to ensure that people are eligible and have not been coerced to make this decision.
People with MS are unlikely to be eligible for assisted dying under this bill, as MS is not normally considered a terminal illness. The bill is likely to be amended as it proceeds through the parliamentary process. However, it is unlikely that the eligibility criteria will change to include people with long-term conditions like MS.
Our conversations within the MS community show us that there are strong feelings about the bill, both for and against assisted dying. This is why we hold a neutral position, and do not advocate for either position on this issue.
We will follow the debate and the proposed legislation across the UK, as we know it is an important and sensitive issue to our community.
We recognise that the public debate around assisted dying could be uncomfortable or distressing. If you are feeling upset or worried, seek support from friends, family or health or social care professionals.
You can find a list of organisations who can help with anxiety, grief or distress here.
If you have questions, you can contact our Helpline on 0800 032 38 39.
