Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill Progresses Amid Extensive Scrutiny
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, introduced in October 2024 by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater as a private member's bill, aims to allow adults aged 18 and over, who are expected to die within six months, to be helped to end their life under strict safeguards.
The bill received backing from MPs in principle in November 2024, after which a cross-party committee reviewed more than 500 amendments. In June 2025, MPs voted to progress the bill to the House of Lords for further consideration.
The House of Lords has since proposed over 1,000 amendments, setting a record for a backbench private member's bill. Line-by-line scrutiny is ongoing, with the Lords currently having completed Day 4 of the 14 allocated days for detailed examination.
The government maintains a neutral stance on the bill, treating it as a matter of conscience with no government time allocated for debate. However, the Lords have been granted an extra 10 Friday sessions to discuss the legislation.
If the bill fails to be passed by both Houses before the current parliamentary session concludes in spring, it would lapse and require restarting the legislative process. The possibility of using the Parliament Act to bypass the House of Lords has been mentioned but remains unprecedented for a private member's bill.
Separately, Scotland is advancing a similar bill that has passed an initial vote at Holyrood but still requires further scrutiny by Members of the Scottish Parliament before it can become law.
