Half of people fear timing of assisted dying law alongside benefits cuts, poll shows

The public is deeply concerned about a “perfect storm” of assisted dying and benefit cuts, a new poll suggests.

MPs will vote again later this week on plans to legalise assisted dying at the same time as ministers push ahead with plans to slash £5bn from the welfare bill.

Half, 51 per cent, of those polled agreed they “would be worried about the timing” of such a law at the same time as benefit cuts.

While most, 71 per cent, of the more than 2,000 adults polled supported the principle for terminally ill adults in pain, nearly six in 10 believed that no law can safeguard against rogue medics abusing the change for their “own gratification”.

The survey was carried out by Whitestone Insight, a British Polling Council member, for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC).

Michael Robinson, executive director of SPUC said: “This polling clearly shows the public has a much better understanding of the problems with changing the law than some proponents of the bill believe. Indeed, the public know that legalising assisted dying at the same time as slashing benefits, will create a perfect storm, putting pressure of vulnerable and disabled people to end their lives prematurely – and they don’t like it.”

Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP behind the Assisted Dying Bill, defended the Bill on Sunday, insisting it was "about human beings".

Asked by Times Radio about an impact statement that suggested the proposal could save the NHS millions of pounds, she said: “I think if we distil this issue down to pounds and pence, we're kind of missing the point. This is about human beings. And whilst it's very important that the impact assessment is done, and we look into the practical implications of changing the law, what really matters is the human beings at the centre of it.”

She added: “We need to be really clear what the problem is that we're trying to fix. And it's about giving dying people autonomy, dignity and control in their final few weeks and months.”

Prime minsiter Sir Keir Starmer will miss this week’s debate on assisted dying, in a move that some have seen as the PM cooling on the proposals.

MPs are expected to vote on a number of amendments to the Bill on Friday.