An update on assisted dying legislation

Assisted dying legislation is progressing in different parliaments across the UK and the Crown Dependencies, including in Westminster, Scotland, the Isle of Man and Jersey.

The bills are separate and there are important differences between them. What happens to a bill in one parliament has no direct influence on what happens to the bills in other parliaments.

There are currently no plans for assisted dying legislation in Northern Ireland.

This article provides a summary of how the different bills are progressing, and the next steps.

What we think

Our position on assisted dying remains neutral. We recognise that there are a variety of views on this issue among our members and the wider Parkinson's community. We are not campaigning for or against these bills.

What you need to know about the bill in Westminster

In November 2024, the Westminster Parliament voted in favour of considering a proposed law on assisted dying for terminally ill adults in England and Wales. Read our previous news story on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) bill.

MPs in the House of Commons voted in favour of the bill on 20 June 2025, by a majority of 23 votes. This was a ‘free’ or ‘conscience’ vote, meaning MPs were free to vote as they wished rather than along party lines. The government is neutral on the bill. 

As of March 2026, the bill is with the House of Lords, where many changes (or amendments) have been proposed and are being considered. It is very unlikely that there will be enough time to debate them all by the end of the Parliamentary session. 

If all the amendments are considered, then the bill will proceed to the final stages. If not, the bill will fail, and the only chance for it to become law would be if another parliamentarian reintroduces it to parliament after the King’s Speech in May. This would mean that the bill would need to go through the House of Commons and House of Lords again. The rarely used Parliament Act could be invoked, which would mean that the reintroduced bill could be passed without needing approval by the House of Lords, but this could be very controversial and might be challenged.

What you need to know about the assisted dying legislation in Scotland

The Scottish Parliament voted against the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill at the final debate on 17 March 2026.
This means that assisted dying will not be introduced in Scotland. In order for this to change, a new law would need to be brought forward, debated and passed by the Scottish Parliament.

Any changes to the law in other parts of the UK would not apply in Scotland.

What you need to know about the assisted dying legislation in the Isle of Man and Jersey

The Assisted Dying Bill was passed by Tynwald, the Isle of Man Parliament, on 25 March 2025. To be eligible, the person must be over the age of 18, terminally ill and “reasonably expected” to die within 12 months, and have the legal capacity to make the decision. The person must also have been an Isle of Man resident for five years, and be registered with an Isle of Man GP. The decision must be verified by two independent doctors.

The Assisted Dying Law was passed by the States Assembly, the Jersey Parliament, on 26 February 2026. To be eligible, a person must be over the age of 18 and have a terminal illness causing unbearable physical suffering, where they are expected to die within six months, or 12 months if diagnosed with a neurodegenerative condition such as Parkinson's or motor neurone disease (MND). The person must have decision-making capacity and have been a Jersey resident for at least 12 months. The request must be assessed by two independent doctors. Unlike in all other jurisdictions, a doctor or nurse would be allowed to administer the substance to end the person’s life; or they could support the person to administer the substance themselves.

Both bills are waiting for Royal Assent (or formal approval) in the UK before they can come into effect.

We will continue to monitor and keep our community informed about the progress of the bills.