It’s official: No woman in England or Wales can be prosecuted for an abortion any more

Decriminalisation explained (and no, this does *not* mean 'abortion is now legal up until birth')

By Jennifer Savin
29 April 2026

After years of campaigning, England and Wales have officially decriminalised abortion for women in a “landmark moment” as part of proposed changes to the Crime and Policing Bill.

The government has now formally done away with the ancient Offences Against the Person Act from 1861 and the Infant Life (Preservation) Act of 1929, both of which saw women and girls open to arrest, investigation or prosecution in relation to procuring an abortion for themselves. Recent years have seen a worrying increase in criminal cases, after minimal incidences for decades, as more anti-abortion groups receive funding in the UK.

Continued: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/reports/a71163004/england-wales-decriminalise-abortion/

Peers vote to back clause pardoning women convicted over illegal abortions

House of Lords decision welcomed as ‘landmark moment’ after attempt to strike out amendment is defeated

Hannah Al-Othman
Thu 19 Mar 2026

Women who have been convicted, and in some cases jailed, over illegal abortions are set to be pardoned after a historic vote in the House of Lords.

Last June, the House of Commons voted to end the criminalisation of women who terminate their pregnancies outside of the legal framework, while keeping the existing framework in place. Doctors and others who act outside of the law could still face the threat of prosecution.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/mar/19/peers-vote-to-back-clause-pardoning-women-convicted-over-abortions

19.03.2026

News

British Pregnancy Advisory Service

Heidi Stewart

House of Lords

Louise McCudden

MSI Reproductive Choices

Nikki Packer

pardoning womn for illegal abortion

Northern Ireland – Schoolgirl traumatised after being wrongly sent to England for abortion

March 15, 2026
Lyndsey Telford, BBC News NI

A schoolgirl who was wrongly sent from Northern Ireland to England for a termination was traumatised by the ordeal, her mother has said.

She said the 18-year-old was forced to wait for a flight home after the procedure while bleeding and cramping.

The teenager was 18 weeks pregnant and could have been treated in Northern Ireland, but was sent to London due to confusion by the booking provider over the services available.

Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp32kwe2280o

15.03.2026

News

Alliance for Choice

British Pregnancy Advisory Service

decriminalisation of abortion

Emma Campbell

Heidi Stewart

Nuala McAllister

traveling to England for abortion

Scottish Government accused of missing abortion care solutions target

Nov 3, 2025
Exclusive by Hannah Brown

The Scottish Government has been accused of missing a six-month target to deliver “much-needed” solutions to improve access to abortion care, prompting calls for a ministerial statement at Holyrood.

In May, Women’s Health Minister Jenni Minto pledged to “get the work done” within six months after being pressed on when health boards would be able to offer abortion care up to the 24-week legal limit.

Six-months have now passed with no new provision in place and no plan published, sparking renewed criticism from service providers.

https://archive.is/Q8CA4
(https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25587974.scottish-government-accused-missing-abortion-care-solutions-target/)

03.11.2025

MPs vote to decriminalise abortion for women in England and Wales

June 17, 2025
Jennifer McKiernan

MPs have voted to change abortion legislation to stop women in England and Wales being prosecuted for ending their pregnancy.

The landslide vote to decriminalise the procedure is the biggest change to abortion laws in England and Wales for nearly 60 years.

Women who terminate their pregnancy outside the rules, for example after 24 weeks, will no longer be at risk of being investigated by police.

Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2le12114j9o

UK – London mayor reverses TfL ban on ads calling for abortion decriminalization

Sadiq Khan seeking ‘urgent review’ of decision to ban adverts from British Pregnancy Advisory Service

Hannah Al-Othman North of England correspondent
Mon 2 Jun 2025

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has stepped in to reverse a ban on adverts on the London transport network calling for abortion to be decriminalised.

It is understood that the mayor is seeking an “urgent review” of a Transport for London (TfL) decision to ban the adverts from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (Bpas) charity on the grounds they may bring the Metropolitan police into disrepute.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jun/02/london-mayor-reverses-tfl-ban-on-ads-abortion-decriminalisation

02.06.2025

News

Abortion Talk

British Pregnancy Advisory Service

Doctors for Choice

Heidi Stewart

pro-choice advertising

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

UK – TfL blocks ads calling on people to lobby MPs to decriminalise abortion

London transport body says allowing Bpas adverts on its network could bring police and City Hall into disrepute

Hannah Al-Othman
Sat 31 May 2025

Transport for London has blocked adverts that urge people to lobby their MPs to vote to decriminalise abortion from running on its network because it claims they could bring the police and City Hall into disrepute.

...The adverts from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (Bpas) charity, which have been approved by the Advertising Standards Authority, have appeared on display boards across England and Wales. They feature anonymised case studies of women who have been investigated by police, and in some cases prosecuted, after terminations or pregnancy loss.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/may/31/transport-for-london-tfl-blocks-ads-bpas-decriminalise-abortion

31.05.2025

News

Bpas

Chris Reader

decriminalisation of abortion

Heidi Stewart

pro-choice advertising

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Scottish ministers accused of failing women who cannot get later abortions

Campaigners say ‘extremely vulnerable women’ are having to travel hundreds of miles to visit English clinics

Libby Brooks, Scotland correspondent
Mon 21 Apr 2025

Campaigners have warned Scottish ministers that they are failing in their legal and moral duties as growing numbers of “extremely vulnerable women” have to travel hundreds of miles south because they cannot access later-term abortions in Scotland.

Not one of Scotland’s 14 regional health boards provide abortion care after 20 weeks except in the specific cases of foetal abnormality or threat to a woman’s life. This is despite the Scottish government promising to rectify this “explicit inequality” three years ago, and abortion being legal on broad grounds until 24 weeks across the UK.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/21/scottish-government-failing-women-who-cant-access-later-term-abortions-campaigners-say

JD Vance decried as extremist over attack on UK abortion clinic safe zones

US vice-president’s comments, part of a wide-ranging tirade against Europe, called inaccurate and misogynistic

Alexandra Topping
Sat 15 Feb 2025

JD Vance has been labelled an “extremist” after he launched a broadside against the UK’s efforts to protect women seeking an abortion.

The US vice-president’s criticisms of UK and Scottish policies on safe access zones around abortion clinics – part of a wide-ranging tirade against Europe on Friday – were derided as inaccurate and misogynistic by a number of groups, politicians and governments.

Heidi Stewart, the chief executive of Bpas, the UK’s leading provider of abortion services, said safe zones – buffer areas of 150 metres around abortion clinics designed to stop women being harassed with leaflets, shown pictures of foetuses, or having to pass by vigils – were vital to protect women’s access to essential healthcare in an “overwhelmingly pro-choice country”.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/15/jd-vance-decried-as-extremist-over-attack-on-uk-abortion-clinic-safe-zones

Calls for abortion law change in England after couple sentenced for buying pills

Campaigners say case of Sophie Harvey and her partner exposes harmful and unnecessary criminalisation of women

Hannah Al-Othman and Steven Morris
Thu 19 Dec 2024

The prosecution of a young couple who were handed community orders at Gloucester crown court more than six years after the stillbirth of a baby has led to renewed calls for abortion law reform in England.

Sophie Harvey and Elliot Benham, both now 25, were originally arrested on suspicion of murder after they disposed of a stillborn foetus. The couple, who were each 19 at the time, had sought a termination for an unwanted pregnancy, before discovering that Harvey was “too far gone” – beyond the legal time limit – with gestation estimated to be at about 28 weeks and five days.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/19/calls-abortion-law-change-england-couple-sentenced-buying-pills