Thank you for all of those who contacted me about terminal illness, end of life care, and assisted dying.

I understand that coping with a terminal illness is a challenging and emotional time for patients and their families, and I want to assure you that providing them with the support they need is a top priority for the Government.

The Special Rules for End of Life (SREL) are in place to ensure that people with terminal illnesses or limited life expectancies receive the benefits they need quickly and efficiently. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) conducted a comprehensive evaluation to assess the effectiveness of SREL and received feedback from claimants and clinicians on how to better support those nearing the end of their lives. Following this evaluation, the Government extended the eligibility period from six to twelve months, allowing individuals to receive vital support six months earlier than before. This is an important step forward in supporting those nearing the end of their lives and easing the burden on clinicians who have difficult conversations with their patients.

The NHS Long Term Plan, prepared by the NHS and published in 2019, emphasises the importance of personalised care and informed conversations between healthcare professionals and patients approaching the end of their lives. Empowering people with terminal illnesses to live independently for longer and giving them more say in the care they receive and where they receive it is crucial, which is central to the plan. This approach enables people to access palliative care when and where they most need it.

The creation of the Personalised Care Institute has made training available to help staff identify and support patients, as well as introducing personalised care planning for everyone identified as being in their last year of life. Importantly, this enables meaningful conversations to take place and allows staff to help patients and families, address their concerns while explaining the breadth of services available in the local area.

The funding for hospices is also a priority for the Government. NHS England and NHS Improvement have provided funding to strategic clinical networks to improve palliative and end-of-life care. The Health and Care Act mandates Integrated Care Boards to commission palliative and end-of-life services, and NHS England has published guidance and specifications to improve the accessibility, quality, and sustainability of these services.

Further, NHS England has actively increased its support to local commissioners to improve the accessibility, quality and sustainability of palliative and end of life care for all. This has included the publication of statutory guidance and service specifications, with further resources available on the Future NHS Collaboration Platform.

In addition, NHS England has funded the establishment of a Palliative and End of Life Care Strategic Clinical Network in every NHS England region, which works closely with local commissioners regarding the development of accessible, high quality and sustainable services.

It is crucial that we prioritise and improve end-of-life care for those who are terminally ill or have limited life expectancies. The Government's efforts to extend eligibility periods, empower patients with personalised care, provide funding to hospices and clinical networks, and offer training and support to healthcare professionals are important steps in the right direction. We must continue to work towards ensuring that every person nearing the end of their life receives compassionate, dignified, and tailored care that meets their unique needs and wishes. By doing so, we can help to ease the burden on patients and their families during a challenging and emotional time and provide comfort and support when it is needed most.

I understand that assisted dying and euthanasia are subjects on which people hold differing opinions, and the substance of the law in this area is a matter of conscience rather than party politics. A debate on this topic was held in Parliament in July 2022, and I commend my colleagues from both sides of the House who bravely shared their opinions.

However, assisting or encouraging suicide is a criminal offence under Section 2 of the Suicide Act 1961 for which the maximum penalty is 14 years’ imprisonment. The Director of Public Prosecutions published guidelines primarily concerned with advising the Crown Prosecution Service prosecutors about the factors which they need to consider when deciding whether it is in the public interest to prosecute a person for assisting or encouraging another to commit suicide.

Thank you again for contacting me, and please know that I will continue to follow this important matter closely.