A law legalising assisted suicide for terminally ill adults has been granted Royal Assent, making it likely that Jersey will become the first part of the British Isles to legalise euthanasia within days. It is expected that assisted suicide will begin to be provided in Jersey late next year.

A statement from the Government of Jersey called the granting of Royal Assent for the Assisted Dying (Jersey) Law 2026 a “critical step in ensuring that the assisted dying service can now begin operating on schedule”.

“Work has been under way for some time to set up the service and recruitment has started for key roles,” the statement said.

The bill was approved in February, making Jersey the second part of the British Isles where assisted dying has been approved, with the Isle of Man preceding it in March 2025.

The Minister for Health and Social Services, Senator 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.

“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”.​

The legalisation of euthanasia has generally been followed by an expansion beyond its original scope. First introduced in 2002, the Netherlands legalised euthanasia for adults with a terminal illness or those suffering in a way that was considered unbearable and could not be alleviated, including those with mental illness. In 2004, the provisions were expanded to allow euthanasia for infants up to the age of one with severe disabilities.

The Dutch government states that a child “may request euthanasia from the age of 12”, provided that they are “capable of assessing and understanding what is best for them in their situation”. If a child is aged 12 to 15, it requires the consent of the child’s parents or guardian; if they are 16 or 17, the parent or guardian “must be consulted in the decision-making process, but their consent is not required.”

Royal Assent has not yet been granted to the Isle of Man Assisted Dying Bill 2023.