Public support for assisted dying remains high and stable

The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) has published its latest data from the British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey on attitudes to assisted dying, conducted in Autumn 2024. The data shows clear support for the law change to allow voluntary euthanasia in some circumstances. 

Nearly half (47%) of the British public think doctors should definitely be allowed to end the life of a person with an incurable and painful terminal illness if the person requests it, while around a third (32%) think doctors should probably be allowed to do so – summing to a total of 79% in favour. This is similar to the 78% who were in favour when this question was last asked in 2016. Fewer than 2 in 10 (17%) think doctors should not be allowed to end the life of people in this scenario – 9% definitely not and 8% probably not. 

A quarter (25%) of Britons believe doctors should definitely be allowed to end the life of someone with an incurable and painful condition who is not expected to die, if the person requests it, with a third (33%) thinking doctors should probably be allowed to do so, adding up to 58% in favour. This marks a 7-point increase from 2016 (when 51% were in favour) and a further change from 1995 when just 41% thought doctors should definitely or probably be allowed to end a person’s life in this situation. On the other hand, around 4 in 10 (38%) are against such a measure, with 17% thinking doctors should definitely not be allowed to do this and 21% probably not.

Although support for assisted dying is not universal, those from a minority ethnic group are particularly less supportive. Around 6 in 10 (58%) of those from a minority ethnic background think doctors should definitely or probably be allowed to end the life of a terminally ill person, compared to 83% of those from a White background. Likewise, 70% of those with a religion share the view that doctors should definitely or probably be allowed to end the life of a terminally ill person, versus 86% of those without a religion.

Gillian Prior, Deputy Chief Executive at the National Centre for Social Research, says: “The National Centre for Social Research has been collecting data on the public’s attitudes towards assisted dying for over 30 years, and there is now majority support for voluntary euthanasia by a doctor for someone with an incurable and painful disease, whether or not the condition is terminal. It is clear we are observing a continued high level of public support for legal change to allow assisted dying in some circumstances.”

For more information please contact:
Emileigh Spurdens, Communications Manager, National Centre for Social Research 
t: 020 7549 8506 
e: emileigh.spurdens@natcen.ac.uk