House of Lords Considers New Attendance and Retirement Rules

Members of the House of Lords could soon face stricter attendance requirements and a mandatory retirement age as part of proposed reforms. A committee established to implement changes promised in the Labour government's 2024 manifesto has recommended that peers be required to attend at least 20% of sitting days and adhere to a retirement age of 80.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton, chair of the committee, stated that the proposals are a "practical solution" aimed at ensuring the "continued effective functioning of the House." A government spokesperson confirmed that these measures are a manifesto commitment and that the government will carefully consider the committee's recommendations before issuing its response later this year.

The House of Lords currently has 774 members, making it one of the largest upper parliamentary chambers globally. While recent changes led to the removal of 92 hereditary peers, 15 were subsequently granted life peerages. The committee's report suggests that the new retirement age of 80 should apply to all current members without exception.

To prevent a sudden mass departure, the retirement threshold would be gradually phased in. Initially set to take effect by July 2029, with the latest retirement age at 85, it would decrease by one year annually until reaching 80 by July 2034. New members would be required to agree in writing to retire by their 80th birthday.

Currently, peers are only obligated to attend the House of Lords once per session, a requirement the committee deemed "too low and reform is necessary." The proposed increase to 20% of sitting days, averaged over two sessions, aims to address this. While the number of sitting days varies, it has averaged around 170 days over the past decade. The committee acknowledged that provisions should be made for short-term absences due to emergencies or compassionate grounds to avoid penalizing members unfairly.

An estimated 301 life peers would be over 80 by July 2029 under the proposed changes. The average age of current House of Lords members is 70.