Assisted dying has been legalised in the first jurisdiction in the British Isles

Jersey has become the first jurisdiction in the British Isles to legalise assisted dying after its law was granted Royal Assent, placing it ahead of the Isle of Man’s own legislation which remains awaiting final approval.

Royal Assent is the final stage in Jersey’s legislative process and the law will come into force once it is registered by the Royal Court in the coming days.

The move follows a vote by Jersey’s States Assembly in February, when members backed the Assisted Dying Law by 32 votes to 16.

The Jersey Government has said it expects the assisted dying service to begin operating in late 2027.

As a Crown Dependency, Jersey is self-governing and has its own parliament and legal system, separate from the UK. Royal Assent is granted on the advice of the UK Justice Secretary.

The development comes after the Isle of Man made history in March last year by becoming the first jurisdiction in the British Isles to pass assisted dying legislation through parliament.

However, more than a year after Dr Alex Allinson’s private member’s bill completed its passage through the branches of Tynwald, the UK Ministry of Justice confirmed it would not be able to recommend the legislation for Royal Assent without further safeguards.

Concerns raised by the Ministry of Justice related to compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights, following a 2022 judgment by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

Last month, Tynwald voted in favour of a series of amendments aimed at addressing those concerns in a final attempt to secure Royal Assent.

The amendments, tabled by Dr Allinson, were supported by 16 votes to six in the House of Keys and five votes to one in the Legislative Council.

Speaking during the debate, Dr Allinson said the changes would strengthen protections for vulnerable people and ensure decisions were made freely and with full understanding.

He said: ‘These amendments collectively strengthen compliance with Articles 2 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights by reinforcing the legislative framework through explicit duties to protect vulnerable persons, ensuring decisions are free and informed and introducing enhanced safeguards in what are perceived as possibly high risk cases.’

One amendment guarantees that a person can withdraw their request for assisted dying at any stage and by any means.

Dr Allinson said this would prevent ‘coercion crystalising into an irreversible outcome’.

‘These amendments taken as a whole will address the issues identified by the MoJ who have not raised any further inquiries,’ he added.

During the debate, supporters of the legislation argued that the amendments strengthened safeguards, while opponents continued to raise concerns about protection of vulnerable people and the practicalities of delivering the service.

Gary Clueit MLC said fears that a frail person could be pushed towards an early death ‘by a tired relative, by a sense of being a burden or by the cold arithmetic of inheritance’ were addressed by the additional safeguards.

Central Douglas MHK and Treasury Minister Chris Thomas said the amendments were a move in the right direction but questioned whether they fully addressed all concerns.

Attorney General Walter Wannenburgh said the amendments were ‘likely to be sufficient’ to address the issues raised by the Lord Chancellor’s Office.

The Isle of Man’s amended Assisted Dying Bill has now been resubmitted for Royal Assent.

Meanwhile, campaign groups have welcomed Jersey’s move.

Humanists UK said Royal Assent marked ‘a historic moment for Jersey’ and described it as a major milestone for end-of-life choice.

Jersey’s law and the Isle of Man’s legislation share several similarities, including requirements for applicants to be adults, terminally ill, have mental capacity and a settled wish to die, while also being assessed by two independent doctors.

However, there are differences, including Jersey allowing people with certain neurodegenerative conditions to apply with up to 12 months to live, compared with a six-month requirement for other terminal illnesses.