Please note, this page contains discussions around death and dying.
Our update from May 2026
The Assisted Dying Bill has now fallen and will not become law during this parliamentary session.
The Bill ran out of time in the House of Lords, where it was being considered in detail at Committee Stage. During this stage, Peers examine the Bill line by line and debate proposed amendments. A large number of amendments were tabled, and as a result, the Bill did not complete all of its required stages before the end of the session.
This means that assisted dying remains illegal in England and Wales, and the Bill can no longer progress in its current form.
While the Bill has fallen, it is possible that assisted dying legislation could return in the future. Supporters of the Bill have indicated that they intend to reintroduce similar proposals in a future parliamentary session. Any new Bill would need to begin the legislative process again and may differ in its scope, safeguards, and provisions.
Our position on the Bill remains unchanged. The safety of anyone affected by an eating disorder is our top priority. While important amendments were made during its passage, we remained concerned about the risks the Bill posed to people with eating disorders, particularly where safeguards did not fully account for the complexity of these conditions.
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, often known as the Assisted Dying Bill, was a proposed law that would allow mentally competent adults in England and Wales who are terminally ill, with a life expectancy of six months or less, to choose help from a doctor to end their life. It set out safeguards, including medical checks, assessments of mental capacity, and protections against pressure or coercion.
The Bill intended to only apply to people with irreversible illnesses - those that have no chance of recovering - and didn't include disability or mental illness on its own.
Before a Bill comes into law in England and Wales, MPs and Peers have the opportunity to propose changes to it, called amendments. During the Bill's progress, over 900 amendments were proposed, including some which may have helped to protect people with eating disorders. The Bill fell before it was possible to determine what the final safeguards would be.
Read the Institute for Government’s guide to amendments here.
Before the Bill fell, we remained deeply concerned about its contents. Some amendments were agreed in the House of Lords which were an important step forward in closing the so-called “anorexia loophole”, significant risks for people with eating disorders still remain.
As originally drafted, the Bill risked allowing someone with an eating disorder to be considered “terminally ill”, not because their illness is genuinely untreatable, but because their physical health has deteriorated due to gaps in the treatment and support they should have received. We welcomed the progress made in clarifying that deterioration caused by problems with eating or drinking linked to mental illness should not make someone eligible for assisted dying.
However, these safeguards did not go far enough. Serious physical harm can arise in conditions such as bulimia and type 1 diabetes with an eating disorder through behaviours such as purging or insulin manipulation, rather than through restricting food or fluids. These risks were not covered by the current wording of the amendments, leaving some people with eating disorders without adequate protection.
Eating disorders are not terminal illnesses and they should never be treated as such. Recovery is always possible. During the most severe stages of an eating disorder, the illness can significantly affect how someone perceives their health, their future, and the value of their life. This makes robust and comprehensive safeguards essential to ensure people receive care, treatment, and protection at their most vulnerable.
Our priority is to ensure that any future Bill remains as safe as possible for people affected by eating disorders. If any such legislation is to pass in a future parliamentary session, it is vital that strong and comprehensive safeguards are in place to protect everyone at risk. We will continue to engage closely if any future Bill is proposed, scrutinise any changes, and assess the final version carefully.
The safety of our community remains our number one priority, and we will strongly oppose any legislation that risks putting people with eating disorders in harm’s way.
We understand that waiting for Government decisions can feel unsettling, especially around serious issues such as assisted dying.
We’re here for you – please reach out to our Helpline or support services if you need us.