Petition · past parliament · Ministry of Justice
Introduce a Duty to Rescue Law in England and Wales
Closed
487 signatures
What the petition asks
There is currently no statutory duty to rescue someone in need. Someone could openly watch an individual drown or be in serious peril, such as suffering an overdose or heart attack, and do nothing.
In other countries, such as France and Spain there is a duty to rescue others. In France, under Article 223-6, those who fail to assist a person in danger is liable within the criminal courts and can be held accountable. In Spain, under Article 195, it is a criminal offence for a citizen to fail to provide or seek help to anyone in need so long as it does not endanger them. We think a duty to rescue should be enacted into the English and Welsh legal system.
Timeline
| 25 Jan 2024 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 29 May 2024 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
487
Status
Closed
Department
Ministry of Justice
Opened
25 Jan 2024
Closed
29 May 2024
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.