--- title: "Historic day! Jersey’s assisted dying law receives Royal Assent" date: "2026-07-09T14:57:54+01:00" modified: "2026-07-09T15:32:53+01:00" url: "https://humanists.uk/2026/07/09/historic-day-jerseys-assisted-dying-law-receives-royal-assent/" post_id: 194050 categories: ["Assisted Dying", "Channel Islands", "News"] --- # Historic day! Jersey’s assisted dying law receives Royal Assent ![](https://i0.wp.com/humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/Jersey-4.webp?resize=1200%2C628&ssl=1)The island of Jersey has become the first part of the British Isles to legalise assisted dying, as its law has been given Royal Assent. Humanists UK welcomes this historic day. After years of campaigning for a change in the law, terminally ill Islanders will be able to choose a compassionate death under strict safeguards. In February this year, States Assembly members in Jersey voted in favour by 32 votes to 16. Humanists UK, a member of the Assisted Dying Coalition alongside End of Life Choices Jersey, has long campaigned for a change in the law in Jersey. Humanists UK Chief Executive Andrew Copson gave oral evidence to the citizens’ jury in 2021. The Jersey Government says that it expects the assisted dying service to begin operating on schedule in late 2027 Royal Assent is the final stage of Jersey’s legislative process and is granted on the advice of the UK Justice Secretary. As a Crown Dependency, Jersey is self-governing and has its own parliament and legal system, separate from the UK. The law will officially come into force once it is registered by Jersey’s Royal Court in the coming days. #### **Humanists UK Chief Executive Andrew Copson said:** > ‘Royal Assent marks a historic moment for Jersey and a major milestone for care and choice at the end of life. Next year, terminally ill people in Jersey will, for the first time, have the option of an assisted death under a compassionate and carefully safeguarded system. > > ‘Humanists UK is proud to have supported this campaign over many years, working alongside local campaigners, politicians, and supporters to help bring about this change. The law reflects the clear wishes of the public, expressed through citizens’ juries and repeated opinion polling, and provides terminally ill people with greater choice at the end of life while protecting those who may be vulnerable.’ #### States Assembly Member Louise Doublet said: > ‘I am proud of Jersey for the way this law was campaigned for, proposed, drafted, scrutinised and debated. The law itself is measured, thorough, and above all, compassionate. It is right that Royal Assent has been given after such a rigorous process in Jersey, and it is right that our citizens have access to this service when it is needed to prevent suffering.’ #### **How does it compare to the Terminally Ill Adults Bill in Westminster?** Several elements are almost identical in both Bills. The applicant must: - Be an adult. - Be terminally ill. - Have a clear mental capacity and a settled wish to die. - Be assessed by two independent doctors. - Be ordinarily resident for at least 12 months in the relevant jurisdiction. - Be able to withdraw or cancel at any point along the way. Both Bills introduce new criminal offences for abuse of the system as well as conscientious objection or a ‘right to refuse’ protection for healthcare professionals. However, there are some core differences between the two Bills: - Both Bills are for people with six months or fewer to live, but the Jersey Bill allows people with a neurodegenerative condition like motor neurone disease to apply if they have twelve months or fewer to live. - The Jersey Bill includes a subjective suffering element: the person believes they cannot bear the suffering the condition is causing (or is expected to cause). - In addition to the two doctors, the Westminster Bill requires the applicant to be approved by a panel of a social worker, a lawyer, and a psychiatrist; the Jersey Bill does not require this. - The Jersey Bill has a 14-day reflection period that can be overridden if the person will die imminently. The Westminster Bill has two reflection periods, the first is seven days, the second is 14 days; only the second can be overridden. #### **History of change on assisted dying in Jersey** In 2018, 1,861 Jersey residents [signed a petition](https://www.gov.je/Caring/AssistedDying/pages/citizensjuryonassisteddying.aspx) calling for the States Assembly to allow for assisted dying. In 2019, there was an online public survey, a GP and doctors’ survey, and a public meeting, and these all indicated strong support in the community for assisted dying. This led to the Jersey Assisted Dying Citizens’ Jury, a world-class democratic project, and its report and recommendations in 2021 [overwhelmingly supported assisted dying](https://humanists.uk/2021/09/16/jersey-citizens-jury-pushes-for-legal-assisted-dying-in-final-report/). Humanists UK Chief Executive Andrew Copson gave oral evidence to the citizens’ jury. #### **What does this mean for the rest of the UK and Crown Dependencies?** The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was [blocked in the House of Lords](https://humanists.uk/2026/04/24/assisted-dying-bill-falls-in-the-house-of-lords/) after a coordinated filibuster by a minority of peers prevented it from reaching a final vote. The Bill has now been [reintroduced in the House of Commons](https://humanists.uk/2026/06/14/lauren-edwards-mp-announces-return-of-the-assisted-dying-bill-after-lords-filibuster/), where MPs will vote on it again on Friday 11 September. Meanwhile, the Isle of Man’s assisted dying Bill, despite having been passed by Tynwald, has been delayed by more than a year while the UK Government withheld Royal Assent pending further safeguards. After amendments were made to address those concerns, the Bill was resubmitted and has now been [sent for Royal Assent once again](https://humanists.uk/2026/06/17/isle-of-man-assisted-dying-law-sent-for-royal-assent-again/). #### Notes For further comment or information, media should contact Nathan Stilwell at or phone **07456 200033**. (media only) Humanists UK is making the following photos available to the media to use – credit to Simona Sermont/Humanists UK – [1](https://humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/HumanistsUKFreedomOfChoice00029.jpg), [2](https://humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/HumanistsUKFreedomOfChoice00048.jpg), [3](https://humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/HumanistsUKFreedomOfChoice00022.jpg), [4](https://humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/HumanistsUKFreedomOfChoice00021.jpg), [5](https://humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/HumanistsUKFreedomOfChoice00072-crop.jpg). Humanists UK have people and their loved ones who would be affected by this change available for the press. If you have been affected by the current assisted dying legislation, and want to use your story to support a change in the law, please email . Humanists defend the right of each individual to live by their own personal values, and the freedom to make decisions about their own life so long as this does not result in harm to others. Humanists do not share the attitudes to death and dying held by some religious believers, in particular that the manner and time of death are for a deity to decide, and that interference in the course of nature is unacceptable. We firmly uphold the right to life but we recognise that this right carries with it the right of each individual to make their own judgement about whether their life should be prolonged in the face of pointless suffering. We recognise that any assisted dying law must contain strong safeguards and the international evidence from countries where assisted dying is legal shows that safeguards can be effective. We also believe that the choice of assisted dying should not be considered an alternative to palliative care, but should be offered together as in many other countries. [Humanists UK](https://humanists.uk/) is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people. Powered by over 150,000 members and supporters, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. We provide ceremonies, pastoral care, education, and support services benefitting over a million people every year and our campaigns advance humanist thinking on ethical issues, human rights, and equal treatment for all. Humanists UK and My Death, My Decision are both members of the Assisted Dying Coalition, along with Friends at the End, Humanist Society Scotland, and End of Life Choices Jersey.