Petition · past parliament · Department of Health and Social Care
Repeal section 1(1)(d) of the Abortion Act 1967
Closed
141 signatures
What the petition asks
It is legal to terminate a pregnancy up to full term on the grounds of severe disability, this includes (but is not limited to) Down's syndrome, cleft lip and club foot. If there is no sign of disability the limit is 24 weeks. This law is outdated and is contrary to the spirit of the Equality Act.
The justification for using 24 weeks as the limit for abortion under any other grounds is that after 24 weeks the child can survive outside of the womb. Yet, a disabled baby can be aborted beyond the age of viability. UK equality laws claim to give each individual the same rights, whatever their gender, ethnicity, sexuality or disability. The womb is one of the few places where the disabled have yet to achieve equality. If the UK is to be truly a country of equality, this law must be reformed.
Timeline
| 16 Sep 2020 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 16 Mar 2021 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
141
Status
Closed
Department
Department of Health and Social Care
Opened
16 Sep 2020
Closed
16 Mar 2021
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.