Terminally Ill Adults Bill Faces Extended Scrutiny in House of Lords

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is currently under detailed examination in the House of Lords, following its earlier progress through the House of Commons and Lords second readings. The Bill addresses the legal status of assisted dying for terminally ill adults in England and Wales.

Introduced by Kim Leadbeater MP as a private members’ bill, the proposal seeks to change existing law to permit assisted dying under specific circumstances. The legislative process has involved multiple stages in both parliamentary chambers since its introduction.

After passing its second reading in the House of Commons in November 2024, the Bill moved to the House of Lords, where it also cleared a second reading in September 2025. The committee stage in the Lords has since seen substantial engagement from peers.

During this committee stage, members of the House of Lords have tabled more than 1,100 amendments for consideration. The volume of proposed changes has contributed to the length and complexity of the ongoing scrutiny process.

What the numbers show

• The Bill passed its second reading in the Commons on 29 November 2024
• The second reading in the Lords occurred on 12 September 2025
• Over 1,100 amendments have been submitted during the Lords committee stage
• Ten additional sitting days for debate were allocated between January and April 2026
• The Bill remains in committee stage as of 18 December 2025

To accommodate the extensive debate, Lord Roy Kennedy, the government chief whip in the Lords, scheduled ten extra sitting days for the Bill’s committee stage. These additional sessions are set to take place from 9 January to 24 April 2026, providing more time for detailed examination.

Campaign groups such as Dignity in Dying have stated their support for the extended debate period, but have also said that the process should not be hindered by procedural delays. The organisation welcomed the extra time but expressed concerns about the potential for obstruction.

Kim Leadbeater MP has stated that, if the current rate of amendments continues, the committee stage could extend as far as 2029. This projection highlights the potential for a prolonged legislative process, depending on the pace of debate and amendment review.

Industry reaction

Dignity in Dying welcomed the allocation of additional sitting days for the Bill’s scrutiny in the House of Lords. The group stated that the extra time would allow for thorough consideration of the proposals.

However, the organisation also said that the process should not be used to delay progress on the Bill, and called for debate to proceed without unnecessary procedural barriers.

As of 18 December 2025, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill remains at the committee stage in the House of Lords. The legislative process is ongoing, with further debate and consideration of amendments scheduled in the coming months.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.