From 2026, all areas of the United Kingdom and Crown Dependencies operate opt-out organ donation. This achievement follows years of sustained advocacy by Humanists UK and our supporters.
We campaigned for a move away from an ‘opt-in’ system of consent to donating organs in favour of a ‘soft opt-out’ system where a deceased person over the age of 16 is presumed to have consented to their organs being donated, unless they had specifically stated otherwise and their family members know of no prior objection.
Opt-out donation better reflects the generosity of the public, ensures clarity for families at difficult moments, and leads to more organs being available for those in need. At the same time, it protects the right of anyone who does not wish to donate to make that decision clear.
With opt-out organ donation now in place across the UK, we can look forward to a system that both respects autonomy and saves lives – a truly humanist outcome.
In depth
From 2018-2019, 400 people died while waiting for a transplant, and 777 were removed from the list due to worsening health, with many dying shortly after. This highlights the severity of the organ shortage at the time, with approximately 6,500 people on the waiting list and a significant number of deaths occurring because suitable organs were not available. The great irony here was that while 80% of people say they would happily donate their organs when they die, only 36% at that time were registered as organ donors. An opt-out system increases the number of organs available for transplant, saving lives.
This system has been in operation in Wales since 2015, and we played a key role in bringing this about. In 2019, the Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Act was passed by the UK Parliament, introducing this system in England from 2020. We produced a guide to help people understand how this change in law will affect them. Similar legislation also came into force in Jersey in 2019, Scotland in 2021, Northern Ireland and Guernsey in 2023, and finally the Isle of Man in 2026.
What we did
- In 2021, we responded to a consultation in Northern Ireland on the introduction of an opt-out system.
- In 2019, as part of the NHS Blood and Transplant’s organ donation deemed consent campaign advisory group, we advised NHS England on the creation of a year-long public awareness campaign for the pending change in the law.
- In 2018, we briefed MPs and peers in support of the Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Act, which successfully introduced an opt-out system in England. We campaigned for the Government to bring forward this legislation, winning a successful policy change in 2017, advised civil servants on the issue earlier that year, and worked with moral philosophers to input into the UK Government’s consultation in 2018.
- In 2018, in consultation with NHS Blood and Transplant, we launched a humanist-specific organ donation card to encourage non-religious people to consider becoming organ donors.
- In 2018, we responded to consultations in the Isle of Man and Guernsey on the introduction of an opt-out system, and welcomed the passage of legislation on Jersey.
- In 2010, we worked with NHS England’s Blood and Transplant section in support of their published leaflets on humanist perspectives on organ donation.
- In 2008, we gave oral evidence to the Welsh Assembly Government Committee Inquiry into Presumed Consent for Organ Donation and written evidence to the Welsh Assembly Organ Donation Taskforce, helping usher in a change in the law. These leaflets encourage people to think about organ donation and consider some of the issues and benefits involved.
Take action: save lives today
The most important thing you can do is discuss your wishes regarding organ donation with your family and loved ones. It’s your body, your choice, and your chance to save a life.
You can also positively opt in to the organ donor register at https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/.
Live in England? We produced a useful guide to the opt-out system in England which came in in 2020 and how the change effects people. You can also make your views abundantly clear by carrying a humanist-specific organ donation card. These can be downloaded for free from the NHS website.
You can also give blood: