Jersey’s assisted dying law has been granted Royal Assent, marking a major milestone in the Island’s plans to introduce an assisted dying service next year.
The Assisted Dying (Jersey) Law 2026 has now received formal approval from the Crown and will come into force once it is registered by the Royal Court in the coming days.
It represents the final constitutional step before the legislation takes legal effect and allows the Government of Jersey to continue preparations for the launch of the service, which is expected to begin operating in late 2027.
Work to establish the service has already been underway for some time, with recruitment for key roles having started as implementation plans progress.
Health Minister Tom Binet said he was “delighted” that the law had been granted Royal Assent.
“Our focus now is on continuing our work to get the service set up and running,” he said.
“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 added: “Assisted dying is a complex and emotive issue, and I’m grateful to everyone who’s worked so hard to ensure we considered this so thoroughly and produced such comprehensive legislation.”
Islander Lorna Pirozzolo, who is living with incurable breast cancer, said: “For people like me, this is deeply personal. It is about the terror of knowing how bad things might get, and the relief of knowing there could be a safe, legal option if suffering becomes too much.
“I am overjoyed for the people of Jersey, because today they have been heard. Their politicians trusted dying people, listened to families, and chose compassion.
“No one should have to face their final months feeling trapped in their own body, or forced to consider travelling abroad to die. Jersey has given dying people something priceless: peace of mind.”
Dignity in Dying chief executive Sarah Wootton added: “Today will be an enormous relief to dying people and families across Jersey.
“History has been made, and it is a testament to humble, unwavering tenacity of terminally ill and bereaved people whose calls for change became impossible to ignore, and to the States Assembly, who listened. After years of careful debate, consultation and scrutiny, compassion has cleared its final constitutional hurdle.
“This law will bring long-overdue choice, protection and peace of mind, raising the bar for everyone facing the end of their lives, no matter what they choose.
“It means terminally ill people in Jersey will know that, if their dying becomes unbearable, they will not be abandoned to pain, fear or desperate alternatives.”
History has been made, and it is a testament to humble, unwavering tenacity of terminally ill and bereaved people whose calls for change became impossible to ignore
Dignity in Dying chief executive Sarah Wootton
She added: “Jersey has shown that safe, compassionate assisted dying laws can be debated responsibly and delivered.
“The rest of the UK and Crown Dependencies should take confidence from that, and follow their lead. This is about life and death, but it’s also about democracy – that affects us all.”
Jersey’s States Assembly adopted the assisted-dying law in February after years of consultation, scrutiny and political debate.
The legislation creates a legal framework allowing eligible adults with a terminal illness to seek medical assistance to end their lives, subject to strict eligibility criteria and a series of statutory safeguards.
To qualify, a person must be aged 18 or over, have been ordinarily resident in Jersey for at least 12 months, have decision-making capacity and have a voluntary, settled and informed wish to end their life.
They must also have a terminal physical illness expected to cause death within six months, or within 12 months in the case of a neurodegenerative condition such as Parkinson’s disease or motor neurone disease, and believe they cannot bear the suffering caused, or expected to be caused, by their condition.
Significant work remains before the service can begin operating. It is anticipated that the earliest operational date will be September 2027.
Before then, Health and Care Jersey will recruit and train specialist staff, develop clinical guidance and service standards, establish oversight bodies, and prepare public information on how the service will operate.
The Jersey Care Commission will also develop arrangements to inspect and regulate the service independently, while further secondary legislation covering matters such as independent advocacy and safe access zones due to be brought forward.
