Living organ donation

We regulate the donation of organs in the UK from living people by making the decision on whether the donation can go ahead, based on criteria set out in law.

The Human Tissue Act 2004 provides a legal framework for living organ donation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, the framework is provided by the Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006.

It is a criminal offence to carry out a transplant operation between two living people if the conditions of the HT Act are not met. This means valid consent must have been given. It is also an offence to be involved in the buying or selling of human organs. The penalty for these offences is a prison sentence of up to three years, a fine, or both.

Further resources and information

We recommend that you read the living organ donor leaflet (PDF 132KB) regarding the role of the HTA and our assessment process.  This will help to inform you about our role and what is involved for both you and the organ recipient.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT)

Other websites and resources