Overview

• MPs voted 314 to 291 on June 20 to pass the assisted dying bill and advance it to the House of Lords for further debate.
• The legislation would lift the existing 14-year prison penalty by permitting terminally ill adults with under six months to live to self-administer life-ending medication under medical supervision.
• Eligibility decisions would require approval from two doctors alongside an independent expert panel, and all healthcare providers could opt out of participation.
• Government estimates project between 160 and 640 assisted deaths in the first year, rising to around 4,500 annually by the tenth year of implementation.
• The bill commands broad public backing with 73% support in YouGov polling and is endorsed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.