Campaigners for the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, legislation seeking to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales, have urged the House of Lords to dedicate more time for scrutiny. They warn that the Bill, which passed the House of Commons in June 2025, is at risk of failing due to a legislative backlog before the current parliamentary session ends in spring 2026.
The legislation faces an unprecedented level of scrutiny in the House of Lords committee stage, with peers tabling over 900 amendments: a record for a private member's bill. Supporters, including the Bill’s sponsor, Lord Falconer of Thoroton, successfully tabled a motion for additional time, extending the debate until 24 April 2026.
Dignity in Dying, a key advocacy group, welcomed the extra time but warned against "obstruction and obfuscation," with CEO Sarah Wootton suggesting opponents are using a high volume of amendments as many proposed by a small number of peers as a procedural tactic to delay the Bill rather than constructively refine it.
Conversely, opponents and sceptical peers argue the numerous amendments reflect genuine concerns about the Bill’s safeguards and structure, stressing the need for robust ethical, legal, and clinical frameworks, especially concerning issues like mental capacity and coercion to protect vulnerable groups. This concern has been echoed by watchdogs like the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which highlighted the importance of detailed equality impact assessments.
Despite the UK government maintaining an officially neutral stance on assisted dying, Downing Street has facilitated the extra sitting days, a move that critics argue favours supporters. Public opinion polls consistently show broad support for assisted dying reform, and advocates emphasise the human impact of delays on terminally ill patients and their families.
Backers remain hopeful the Bill will clear the Lords and be agreed by both Houses before the session concludes. Campaigners have suggested that if necessary, reintroduction or even the use of Parliament Acts provisions, a mechanism for passing certain Bills without full Lords consent, could be considered as a last resort. For health policy experts, this debate is a landmark legislative challenge, testing the balance between due scrutiny and timely action on a deeply personal healthcare issue.
