Peers face new attendance rules under proposed House of Lords changes

New proposals put forward by a committee suggest that members of the House of Lords who fail to attend regularly could face removal from Parliament. These recommendations align with the Labour government’s 2024 manifesto pledge to introduce a retirement age and attendance requirements for members of the upper chamber. The appointed committee was tasked with exploring how best to implement these reforms.

According to the report published on Wednesday, the committee put forward the idea of gradually introducing a retirement age set at 80, alongside a new minimum attendance rate requiring peers to be present for at least 20% of sitting days. Baroness Taylor of Bolton, who chairs the committee, described the proposals as a “practical solution” intended to safeguard the “continued effective functioning of the House.”

A government spokesperson acknowledged the manifesto commitment, stating, “Introducing a retirement age and participation requirement to the House of Lords is a manifesto commitment, and we will therefore carefully consider the committee’s recommendations ahead of the government’s response later this year.” Concerns about the size of the House of Lords have long persisted, with membership currently totaling 774—making it one of the largest upper parliamentary chambers internationally.

Earlier in the year, membership numbers were slightly trimmed when 92 hereditary peers lost their seats, though 15 of those were subsequently appointed as life peers. The committee proposed that the new retirement age of 80 should apply to all current members “without exception,” while avoiding a sudden large-scale departure by phasing the retirement age in gradually. For example, by July 2029, peers would retire at 85, then the age limit would decrease by one year annually until reaching 80 by July 2034. New appointees would be required to agree in writing to retire upon reaching 80. Currently, attendance expectations are minimal, with peers only needing to attend once per session. The committee viewed this as insufficient and recommended raising the bar to an attendance rate of at least 20% of sitting days averaged over two sessions.

Noting that parliamentary sessions typically average around 170 sitting days over the past decade, the committee also acknowledged that unforeseen emergencies or compassionate reasons may cause temporary absences, and any attendance rules should account for these exceptions. A recent House of Lords briefing estimated that by July 2029, 301 life peers will be over 80 years of age. The current average age of members in the House of Lords is 70 years

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