Public support for legal change towards assisted dying

In a historic vote in late November last year, by 330 to 275, MPs backed a bill proposing to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales. The bill, put forward by Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater, would allow adults who are terminally ill and expected to die within six months the right to seek assistance from a doctor to end their own life. A separate but similar bill is being considered in Scotland. Currently, laws across the UK do not allow people to request medical support to die.

Supporters of the law change argue it would give dignity and choice to terminally ill people, helping to reduce the pain and suffering, and sometimes traumatic deaths, experienced by many in their final months. Meanwhile, opponents of the bill think it could lead to terminally ill people – particularly the vulnerable, elderly and disabled – being put under pressure to end their lives.

The bill, officially named the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, still faces many months of debate and scrutiny in the House of Commons and House of Lords before it could become law. While discussions around the proposed law continue, it is important to consider public attitudes on this issue. Are the British public in support of assisted dying for the terminally ill or are opinions divided as is the case among MPs on this issue? And what about more far-reaching measures such as assisted dying for those in unbearable suffering but not expected to die?

The British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey has asked Britons the following questions on assisted dying at several points since 1995:

• Whether doctors should ever be allowed by law to end the life of a person with an incurable and painful illness, from which they are likely to die in the next few weeks or months.
• Whether doctors should ever be allowed by law to end the life of a person with an incurable and painful illness, from which they will not die.

First, what does the public think about assisted dying for those who are terminally ill, which is what the proposed law would legalise and is currently legal in New Zealand, Australia, Washington DC and California? According to the latest BSA data from 2024, there is clear support for the measure. Nearly half (47%) of the British public think doctors should definitely be allowed to end the life of a terminally ill person if they request it, while a third (32%) think doctors should probably be allowed to do so – summing to a total of 79% in favour. Meanwhile, less than 2 in 10 (17%) think doctors should not be allowed to end the life of people in this scenario – 9% definitely and 8% probably. Looking at attitudes over time, while there has been a small decrease in the number who think doctors should definitely be allowed to, overall public support for this measure has remained high and stable. At every point this question has been asked, around 8 in 10 have stated doctors should definitely or probably be allowed to end the life of a person who is terminally ill.

Attitudes towards assisted dying differ by ethnic background and religious belief. Those from a minority ethnic group are particularly less supportive, and also religious believers, albeit to a lesser extent. 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 same view, versus 86% of those without a religion. The lower support among minority ethnic groups is possibly a reflection of the higher level of religiosity among this group (74%) compared to those from a White background (44%).

Next, what does the public think about the more far-reaching measure of assisted dying for those with an incurable and painful condition but not expected to die, which is currently legal in Canada, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands and Belgium? According to the latest BSA data from 2024, public opinion is also broadly favourable on this measure, but to a lesser extent. A quarter (25%) of Britons think doctors should definitely be allowed to end the life of someone in this scenario, while a third (33%) think doctors should probably be allowed to do so – adding up to 58% in favour, which represents a 7-point increase from 2016. Conversely, 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. It is worth noting that public attitudes on this issue have become significantly more favourable over time – in 1995, just 41% thought doctors should definitely or probably be allowed to end a person’s life in this situation.

Younger cohorts tend to be more supportive of this measure, as well as men. Around two-thirds (64%) of 16 to 34 year olds think doctors should definitely or probably be allowed to end the life of someone in pain but not dying, compared to 52% of those aged 65 or higher. And just over 6 in 10 men (62%) hold the same view, versus 54% of women. Religious people and those from a minority ethnic group, meanwhile, are substantially less in favour – only 47% of religious people think doctors should definitely or probably be able to do so, compared to 69% of those without a religion. Similarly, just 39% of those from a minority ethnic background share this view, versus 62% of those from a White background.

In conclusion, there is strong public support for assisted dying for the terminally ill, which the proposed new law intends to legalise. Around 8 in 10 (79%) think doctors should definitely or probably be allowed to end the life of a person who is dying. In fact, support towards this measure has been high and stable since the question was first asked in 1995 – suggesting that the proposed change would finally bring the law into line with public opinion on this issue. However, support for assisted dying is not universal, with attitudes noticeably less positive among minority ethnic groups and the religious. On the more far-reaching measure of assisted dying for those in unbearable suffering but not expected to die, attitudes are also favourable, but to a lesser extent. Nearly 6 in 10 (59%) think doctors should definitely or probably be allowed to end the life of someone in this situation, which continues a trend of attitudes on this measure becoming more favourable over time. So, while the British public back the current proposed move towards assisted dying for the terminally ill – in time, the public may push for the law to go even further.