The prospect of assisted suicides taking place in Britain moved a step closer on Wednesday after prosecutors signalled that helpers would be unlikely to face charges if they acted solely through compassion and under clear instruction from the deceased.

Keir Starmer, the director of public prosecutions, said that he wanted to be “faithful to both the law and public feeling”, although he gave warning that the new guidance offered “no guarantees” against legal action and did not permit euthanasia. The policy is a finely balanced attempt to give more legal clarity to individuals thinking about suicide, while addressing fears that a blanket promise not to prosecute could encourage malicious killings and even lead to the emergence of bespoke death clinics.