Scotland
Scottish organ donation law changed on 26 March 2021.
In Scotland, if you die in circumstances where you can donate, you will be considered to be a donor when you die, unless you have chosen to opt out or are in in a group that the new law doesn’t apply to.
Your loved ones will still be consulted about your views to ensure that donation does not proceed if you would not have wanted it to. Organ and tissue donation remains a personal decision and you have a choice.
England
English organ donation law changed on 20 May 2020. All adults in England are now considered to have agreed to be an organ donor when they die unless they have recorded a decision not to donate or are in one of the excluded groups.
Wales
The legislation for Wales is ‘deemed consent’. This means that if you haven’t registered an organ and tissue donation decision, you will be considered to have no objection to becoming a donor.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
The current legislation for Northern Ireland is to opt in to organ and tissue donation. The Minister of Health has announced plans to move towards a system of deemed consent and a consultation is currently underway.
Crown dependencies
The Jersey organ donation law changed on 1 July 2019. All adults on Jersey are now considered to have agreed to be an organ donor when they die unless they have recorded a decision not to donate or are in one of the excluded groups.
Guernsey currently operate under an opt-in system however they do intend to move to an opt-out system. Their deemed consent law has been passed and are awaiting an official implementation date.
Isle of Man currently operate under an opt-in system. They are making progress on their deemed consent law which has already passed through a number of legislative phases.
Read more information about the current legislation around organ donation in Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man and any proposed changes.