House of Lords

The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England, just like the lower house, the House of Commons. The House of Lords has a long history, dating back to the early 11th century.

Unlike the House of Commons, where members are chosen by voters, people in the House of Lords are usually appointed for life. Some of these members are archbishops and bishops of the Church of England, called Lords Spiritual. The House of Lords helps check new laws, ask questions about how the government is working, and suggest changes to plans made by the government.

Although the House of Lords cannot stop a law from passing, it can delay it for up to one year. This gives it a chance to look closely at the details and suggest improvements. The House of Lords is unique because it is larger than any other upper house in a country that has two houses in its parliament. As of 8 May 2026, it had 752 sitting members.

History

The House of Lords began as the "Great Council" that advised the king in early medieval times, starting in the 11th century. Over time, this council included church leaders, noble people, and representatives from different parts of England and Wales. By around 1295, it became known as Parliament, which had two parts: the House of Commons (representatives from areas) and the House of Lords (church and noble leaders).

As time passed, the power of these groups changed. During some periods, noble people had more power, while at other times, the king’s rule was stronger. In the 17th century, big changes happened, including a big fight called the English Civil War. For a short time, the House of Lords was closed, but it returned after the king came back to power.

In the 19th century, many changes happened to make the government fairer. The House of Commons became more powerful than the House of Lords. By the early 1900s, laws were passed to limit what the House of Lords could do, making the House of Commons the main decision-maker.

The 20th century saw more discussions about changing the House of Lords. Some wanted to remove it completely, while others wanted to change how it worked. New types of members were added, and rules were updated to balance power better between the two houses.

Reforms

Main article: Reform of the House of Lords

As democratic politics grew in the United Kingdom, starting with the Reform Acts from 1832 to 1928, the House of Lords began to seem old-fashioned. Many efforts were made to change it. A big change happened in 1999 when most hereditary peers were removed, and this finished in 2026.

First admission of women

Main article: Women in the House of Lords

Women were not allowed in the House of Lords until 1958, when a few came in under new rules. One of these was Irene Curzon, who inherited her father’s title in 1925 and was allowed to join. Later, in 1963, more women with hereditary titles were allowed to join.

New Labour era

In 1997, the Labour Party promised to remove hereditary peers from the House of Lords. After winning the election that year, they started this change. As a compromise, 92 hereditary peers were allowed to stay for a while. By 1999, most hereditary peers were gone, making the House of Lords mostly appointed members.

Coalition reforms

After the 2010 election, plans were made to change the House of Lords to be mostly elected. These plans included having 300 members, with 240 elected and 60 appointed. Elections would happen every 15 years, and Church of England leaders would still have a few seats.

House of Lords Reform Act 2014

In 2014, new rules let all peers retire or leave if they did not attend often. Peers could also be removed if they went to prison for a year or more.

Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015

Main article: Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015

See also: Women in the House of Lords

This law helped women bishops of the Church of England join the House of Lords more easily. In 2015, Rachel Treweek became the first woman to sit as a Lord Spiritual. By 2025, eight women bishops were part of the House of Lords.

Starmer ministry

As of 2024, the Labour Party wants to remove the House of Lords and replace it with an elected chamber. In 2024, a bill was passed to remove the last hereditary peers, which happened on 29 April 2026.

Size

The number of members in the House of Lords has changed a lot over time. In the early days, there were around 184 nobles. Over the years, the number grew, especially after laws allowed more people to join for life. By 1999, there were over 1,300 members, but reforms reduced this number. Even with these changes, the House of Lords still has more members than many other similar groups around the world. Today, it continues to work with a large number of members, discussing and checking new laws.

Functions

Legislative functions

Further information: Act of Parliament (UK)

All legislation, except for money bills, can start in either the House of Lords or the House of Commons.

The House of Lords talks about laws and can change or say no to bills. But, the House of Lords cannot stop a bill that the House of Commons really wants to pass. Some important laws can go straight to the Royal Assent without the House of Lords agreeing. The House of Lords can only wait a little while before the Commons can pass a money bill.

Other important laws cannot be stopped for too long by the House of Lords. They can only wait for two times that Parliament meets or one full year. This rule only works for laws that start in the Commons. There is also a rule that the House of Lords does not argue with laws that were promised by the government before an election.

By tradition, the House of Lords does not change laws about money. They cannot start a law about taxes or money and cannot add those ideas to other laws. The Commons sometimes lets them suggest small changes about money.

The House of Lords also looks at official rules in many areas, like safety and health, and has approved important rules, including those during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Relationship with the government

The House of Lords does not choose the prime minister or change the government. Only the House of Commons can make the prime minister leave or call new elections.

Most leaders in the government come from the House of Commons. Almost all prime ministers since 1902 have been from the Commons. A few leaders have come from the House of Lords, but this is rare.

The House of Lords still helps with some government jobs and has people who support the government.

Former judicial role

Main article: Judicial functions of the House of Lords

In the past, the House of Lords used to decide big legal cases. Until 2009, it was the highest court in the United Kingdom. Now, this job is done by the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.

The House of Lords used to hear appeals from courts in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and some from Scotland. The highest judges, called Law Lords, did most of this work.

Special groups of these judges, called Appellate Committees, heard the cases. The biggest cases could have more judges.

The House of Lords also used to try very important cases, but this stopped long ago. Now, these trials happen in regular courts.

The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 created the Supreme Court, and the House of Lords stopped its judicial work. The new court is in the Middlesex Guildhall.

Membership

Members of the House of Lords who sit because of their church roles are called Lords Spiritual. These include important leaders from the Church of England. In the past, many church leaders were part of the House, but now only a small number are allowed. This includes the top leaders of the Church of England and some senior bishops.

The Lords Temporal are the other members of the House of Lords. Some of these positions are passed down in families, but many are given for life by the monarch. These life peers are chosen to keep balance among different political groups in the House. There are rules about who can be a member, such as being over 21 and a citizen of the United Kingdom, Ireland, or a Commonwealth country.

Officers

Traditionally, the House of Lords did not choose its own leader, unlike the House of Commons. Instead, the Lord Chancellor acted as the leader. However, in 2005, a new role called the Lord Speaker was created. Now, a member called a peer is chosen by the House of Lords to be the Lord Speaker, and the Crown officially appoints them.

The first Lord Speaker was Helene Hayman, Baroness Hayman, who started in 2006. She left the Labour Party to stay neutral. Later leaders included Frances D'Souza, Norman Fowler, John McFall, and currently, Michael Forsyth, Lord Forsyth of Drumlean.

The Lord Speaker helps guide the House of Lords but does not make big decisions alone. The House itself decides who can speak and what rules to follow. There are also other important roles, like the Leader of the House of Lords, who helps government plans move through the House, and the Clerk of the Parliaments, who keeps official records and advises on rules.

Procedure

See also: Acts of Parliament in the United Kingdom § Stages of a bill

The House of Lords and the House of Commons meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Lords Chamber is beautifully decorated, unlike the simpler Commons Chamber. The benches in the Lords Chamber are red. The Woolsack is at the front, with the Government sitting to the right and the Opposition to the left. Crossbenchers sit opposite the Woolsack.

The Lords Chamber hosts important ceremonies, such as the State Opening of Parliament. During this event, the Sovereign speaks about the Government's plans for the new parliamentary session. In the House of Lords, members can speak without asking for permission first. If multiple members want to speak at the same time, the House decides who goes next. Speeches are made to the whole House, not just the person leading the meeting.

Each member can speak only once on a topic, except the person who introduced it. There are no time limits on speeches, but the House can end a speech if needed. After all speeches, the House votes on the topic. Votes are first done by calling out "content" or "not content." If needed, members walk to special areas to record their votes officially. If votes are tied, the decision depends on specific rules. Only a few members are needed for a vote to be valid.

Special rules were made during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic to let some tasks be done online.

Committees

In the House of Lords, committees work a little differently than in the House of Commons. When a bill reaches the committee stage, it is debated by all members of the House in something called the Committee of the Whole House. Any member can speak, and the rules are flexible. The Chairman of Committees leads these discussions.

There is also something called Grand Committee, which follows the same rules as the main chamber but without voting. This is used for topics that are not likely to cause disagreement.

Sometimes, special committees are created just for one bill before it is introduced. These are rare and do not replace the usual steps a bill goes through.

The House of Lords has 15 Select Committees. Most of these are set up at the start of each session and stay until the next session begins. They can report to the House whenever they want. Other committees are created for a specific purpose and have a set time to finish their work. These committees can call meetings and gather information to check on government actions. Bills are usually sent to the Committee of the Whole House or Grand Committees, but sometimes they go to Select Committees.

There are also Domestic Committees that help with the House’s rules and management. One of these is the Committee of Selection, which decides which members join other committees.

Composition

Main article: List of current members of the House of Lords

As of May 2026, there are 752 members in the House of Lords. Most of these members, called life peers, serve for their whole lives. There are also some special seats for leaders of certain religious groups. Over time, more women have joined, but there are still more men than women in the group.

Government leaders and ministers in the Lords

Leaders and chief whips

Some important people help lead the House of Lords. The Baroness Smith of Basildon is the Leader of the House of Lords. The Lord Collins of Highbury helps as the Deputy Leader. The Lord Kennedy of Southwark is the Chief Whip, and The Baroness Wheeler is the Deputy Chief Whip.

Other ministers

Many ministers work in different government departments and help make decisions. For example, The Lord Hermer works with laws for England and Wales. The Baroness Chapman of Darlington helps with development and Africa issues. The Lord Coaker works on defence matters. These ministers are part of teams that support the government in many areas.

Criticisms

Main article: Reform of the House of Lords

The House of Lords faces several criticisms. Some people feel the way members are chosen is not fair, as parties sometimes pick people for reasons that are not clear. Members also keep their seats for life, which some think is not right. The group does not include enough people from different backgrounds or women.

The United Kingdom is one of the few places where religious leaders have permanent seats in the government. Compared to other countries, the House of Lords has more members from southern England and fewer from other areas. It is also very large, with almost 800 members, making it one of the biggest legislative groups in the world. This size causes problems with space in the meeting hall. Because of these issues, some wonder if having two groups in Parliament is still needed, as some countries only have one group making laws.