politics
House of Lords Committee Proposes Phased Retirement at 80 and 20% Attendance Rule for All Peers
A report published on 15 July 2026 proposed phasing in a retirement age of 80 and requiring peers to attend at least 20 percent of sitting days. The changes would apply to all existing members without exception. The Labour government said it would consider the recommendations before responding later this year.
Jul 15, 9:31 AM·1m read1 source
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A House of Lords committee published a report on 15 July 2026 recommending a retirement age of 80 for peers and a minimum attendance requirement of 20 percent of sitting days averaged over two sessions. BBC News reported that the proposals would apply to all existing members without exception and would be phased in gradually to avoid a sudden departure of multiple peers.
The retirement threshold would start at 85 from 8 July 2029 and reduce by one year each year until reaching 80 by July 2034.
New members would be required to agree in writing that they retire by their 80th birthday. BBC News reported that peers currently must attend the House of Lords at least once in a parliamentary session, a threshold the committee described as too low. Over the last 10 years the average number of sitting days per session has been around 170.
The committee stated that short-term absences due to emergency or compassionate grounds should be taken into account when assessing attendance. A House of Lords briefing estimated that by July 2029, 301 life peers would be aged over 80.
Earlier in 2026, 92 hereditary peers were removed from the chamber, though 15 were subsequently given life peerages. The Labour government’s 2024 manifesto promised to introduce a retirement age and participation requirement. Baroness Taylor of Bolton, the committee chair, said the proposals were a practical solution that would ensure the continued effective functioning of the House.
A government spokesperson said the government would carefully consider the committee's recommendations ahead of its response later this year. The House of Lords Retirement and Participation Committee was established to recommend ways to implement the changes.
