No, UK isn’t offering ‘cash bonuses’ to euthanise the elderly

A social media post claims that the British government is offering “cash bonuses” to families who euthanise their elderly relatives.

Posts on Facebook and X appear to show a screenshot of an article with a headline saying as such, complete with a picture of an elderly man shutting himself inside a purple pod.

The X post also links the article, which attributes the claim to what it calls a “disturbing report” from UK news outlet The Telegraph.

The captions of the social media posts say the same thing, alleging that experts have warned that terminally ill pensioners could end their lives earlier to spare loved ones six-figure tax bills. However, this is all misleading.

The article that the posts refer to was published by The People’s Voice, which is a notorious, US-based fake news website.

Its articles have been repeatedly debunked by fact-checkers over the years, often when the site went by its former names NewsPunch or Your News Wire.

The EU also previously criticised the site for spreading Russian propaganda.

Regardless of The People’s Voice’s reputation, the claims about “cash bonuses” for euthanising the elderly have no factual basis.

The Telegraph article that allegedly reported on the matter doesn’t refer to “cash bonuses” at all.

Instead, it points out that, under current UK rules, pensions are inherited free of income tax if the person dies before 75 years old. 

If England and Wales’ assisted dying bill becomes law, it could leave the elderly with a tough choice between prolonging their life or saving their family thousands of pounds, according to The Telegraph.

Even that claim is over-simplified: at the end of November, UK MPs voted in favour of a historic bill that could legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults in England and Wales, but this would be subject to strict checks and balances.

Specifically, anyone wishing for a doctor to help them end their life would need to be over 18, have the mental capacity to make the decision themselves, be terminally ill and in the final six months of their life.

According to the wording of the bill, two doctors must assess any such request, at least seven days apart, to ensure the person meets the eligibility criteria — including that they came to the decision voluntarily without any coercion or pressure.

If the doctors approve the request, the applicant can then apply to the High Court to sign it off. If it does so, the person will then have a 14-day reflection period (or 48 hours if death is imminent), after which they make a final request to a doctor for assistance in ending their life.

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If the doctor is still satisfied that the person meets the eligibility criteria, they can prescribe an approved, life-ending substance.

As such, it’s simplistic to suggest that someone might so easily choose to end their life before they turn 75 to save their family money.

The bill has not yet become law, but its approval by MPs is a significant step towards that being the case. It will now be further scrutinised by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

If approved, it should come into effect within the next two to three years.

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