Good Samaritan law

First Aid & CPR United Kingdom

The Good Samaritan: compassion and protection

Drawn from the Bible (Luke 10:25-37), the parable of the Good Samaritan tells of a traveller left for dead who is rescued by a stranger that tends to him and sees to his care. Beyond its religious context, it carries a universal message: the moral duty to help others in danger, through compassion and altruism.

Inspired by this principle, many so-called Good Samaritan laws have been enacted around the world to protect those who assist in good faith during an emergency from legal action. The exact scope of that protection, however, varies from one jurisdiction to another: here is what the law applicable to your region provides.

Statute citation

Governing act Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Act 2015 (SARAH Act, England & Wales); Compensation Act 2006, s. 1
Scope of protection The UK has no "Good Samaritan" statute creating blanket immunity, but the SARAH Act 2015 requires courts to consider whether the defendant was acting heroically to assist a person in danger when assessing negligence. Liability remains governed by common law (a duty of care, discharged by acting non-negligently).
Duty to rescue No
AED liability protection No
No legal duty to rescue

Your protection under the law

In the United Kingdom there is no "Good Samaritan" statute creating blanket immunity, yet the law does not leave the rescuer exposed. The Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Act 2015 (SARAH Act, England & Wales), together with the Compensation Act 2006, requires the court to take into account that the defendant was acting heroically to assist a person in danger when assessing any negligence. Liability remains governed by common law: someone who acts reasonably, without negligence, discharges their duty of care and has nothing to fear.

No duty to act, but every reason to

In the United Kingdom, helping is a choice rather than an obligation: no law forces you to intervene, and no one will be prosecuted for standing back. But that choice, when made in good faith, is protected — the SARAH Act 2015 ensures your courage will be weighed in your favour, not held against you, should a matter ever reach court. The real question, then, is not legal but human: will you be able to help if the moment comes?

Why training matters

Nothing compels you to intervene in the United Kingdom — but when a heart stops, it is your decision, not the law, that will make the difference. The chance of survival falls by about 10% with every minute that passes without resuscitation, and the ambulance rarely arrives in time for those very first minutes: the bystander who is there is, quite literally, the first link in the chain of survival. Training gives you the right to act with confidence when no one else can, knowing the law values that courage. Choose to be ready: one day, someone will have only you.