Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life)Bill: What You Need to Know
- Phil Friend
- Apr 2
- 2 min read
Over the last ten days, Kim Leadbeater’s assisted dying Bill has undergone major changes during its committee stage in Parliament. We at Not Dead Yet UK remain seriously concerned. Rather than improving the Bill’s safety, recent amendments have weakened its safeguards and raised fresh alarms for disabled and terminally ill people.
The most troubling change is the removal of the requirement for a High Court judge to approve assisted dying requests. This was widely described as the Bill’s strongest safeguard — a final legal check before someone’s life could be deliberately ended. It has now been replaced with a three-person panel: a lawyer, a psychiatrist, and a social worker. This is not the same as judicial oversight. It makes the process more vulnerable to pressure, assumptions, and systemic bias.
Equally concerning is the rejection of amendments proposed by eating disorder charities and other groups. These would have explicitly excluded people with severe anorexia and similar conditions from qualifying under the law. Despite clear evidence that such individuals have accessed assisted suicide abroad, every one of those amendments was voted down.
Another key development is the extension of the Bill’s implementation period. Originally set at two years, it’s now been pushed to four, meaning the earliest this law could come into effect is 2029, after the next general election. Campaigners are rightly asking: Is this delay about doing things properly or about pushing the issue out of political sight?
Meanwhile, the voices of disabled people — those most likely to be affected — continue to be pushed to the margins. Last week, NDYUK members went to Westminster to speak directly to MPs and peers. We shared personal stories, raised hard questions, and made one thing absolutely clear: This Bill is not about choice. It’s about a shift in how society values some lives over others.
Your voice matters.
Ahead of the next reading in Parliament of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in the House of Commons in April 2025, we need as many of our supporters as possible to write to their MP and request a meeting with them. This is your chance to explain the real dangers of this Bill — and how it could lead to the deaths of many vulnerable people.
Follow these three simple steps:
1. Find your MP and their contact details:
Go to TheyWorkForYou and enter your postcode.
2. Download our template letter to request a meeting:
3. Send your letter:
Attach it to an email and send it to your MP. If you prefer, you can also print and post it.
And there’s more you can do.
We’ll launch another postcard campaign in the next few days, and we’d love your help to make it a success. These simple, powerful messages to MPs have a tangible impact — they remind Parliament that disabled people are watching and that we will not be silenced.
Please watch for the campaign launch and request postcards to send to your MP. Ask your friends and allies to get involved, too. Every voice counts, and every postcard helps.
Together, we can make sure this dangerous Bill is stopped.