JERSEY has moved a major step closer to becoming the first place in the British Isles to offer a legal assisted-dying service after the Island’s landmark legislation was granted Royal Assent.
The Crown approval clears one of the final constitutional hurdles for the Assisted Dying (Jersey) Law 2026, with ministers saying they remain on track to launch the service late next year following an 18-month implementation programme.
Royal Assent follows the States Assembly’s historic decision to adopt the legislation in February. The law will formally come into force once it is registered in the Royal Court in the coming days, allowing work on implementation to continue.
The milestone puts Jersey ahead of other jurisdictions in the British Isles. While the Isle of Man passed assisted-dying legislation last year, its bill was blocked from receiving Royal Assent after the UK government concluded that key safeguards were not sufficiently embedded in the law.
Health Minister Tom Binet said: “I’m delighted the assisted dying law has been granted Royal Assent. Our focus now is on continuing our work to get the service set up and running.”
He acknowledged that significant work remained before the service could open, adding: “There is still a lot of work to do, but I’ve every confidence that we can do it within the schedule we set ourselves.”
Senator Binet described assisted dying as “a complex and emotive issue” and thanked everyone involved in developing what he called “comprehensive legislation”.
Preparation for the service has already been underway for several months, with recruitment having begun for key roles.
During the implementation period, the Health Department will establish the systems, safeguards and oversight bodies needed before assisted dying becomes available.
This includes recruiting and training specialist staff, providing education for healthcare professionals, setting up an independent assurance and review framework, developing operational guidance and service standards, introducing further regulations, and preparing the Jersey Care Commission to inspect and regulate the service.
Humanists UK chief executive Andrew Copson said that gaining Royal Assent was a “historic moment for Jersey” and a “major milestone for care and choice at the end of life”.
“Next year, terminally ill people in Jersey will, for the first time, have the option of an assisted death under a compassionate and carefully safeguarded system,” he added.
“The law reflects the clear wishes of the public, expressed through citizens’ juries and repeated opinion polling, and provides terminally ill people with greater choice at the end of life while protecting those who may be vulnerable.”
Under the law, assisted dying will be available free of charge through Health and Care Jersey, but only for adults who meet strict eligibility criteria.
Applicants must be aged 18 or over, have lived in Jersey for at least 12 months, have a terminal illness expected to cause death within six months — or 12 months for certain neurodegenerative conditions — and have the mental capacity to make the decision.
They must also demonstrate a voluntary, informed and settled wish to end their life, free from coercion, with the legislation requiring multiple assessments and safeguards throughout the process.
Assisted dying will not replace palliative or end-of-life care, but will provide an additional option for eligible terminally ill patients who are experiencing, or expect to experience, unbearable suffering.
