House of Lords Reform: What Do Voters Think?
61% of UK voters want a fully or partly elected second chamber. Labour Lords reform bill removes remaining hereditary peers but stops short of full election.
Voter Opinion: What Should Happen to the Lords?
May 2026Question: “Which of the following best describes your view on the House of Lords?” Source: YouGov, May 2026.
Source: YouGov polling, May 2026. n=1,842.
Lords Reform Support by Party Affiliation
% who support a fully or partially elected second chamber, by how they voted in 2024.
Labour Lords Reform Plan
2024–2026| Reform Measure | Status | Detail | Public approval |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remove hereditary peers | Complete | 92 remaining hereditary peers removed. House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Act 2024 passed. | 68% support |
| Retirement age for Lords at 80 | Proposed | Consultation underway. Estimated 200+ peers would be affected if implemented. | 61% support |
| Reduce total size of Lords | Proposed | Currently 780+ members. Labour consulting on cap of around 600 members. | 64% support |
| Elected second chamber | Not planned | Labour has not committed to elections for the Lords in this parliament. | 61% want elections |
| Abolish the Lords entirely | Not planned | Not in Labour manifesto. SNP and some Labour left wing support abolition. | 18% support abolition |
Historical Blocking: When Lords Overruled Commons
| Year | Legislation | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Tax Credits cuts (Osborne Budget) | Lords blocked; government climbed down. Led to constitutional convention debate. |
| 2019 | No-deal Brexit preparations | Lords amended multiple Brexit bills, forcing Commons votes. Contributed to prorogation crisis. |
| 2022 | Online Safety Bill | Lords introduced 150+ amendments over 18 months, significantly altering the legislation. |
| 2023 | Retained EU Law Bill | Lords forced government to reduce scope from 4,000+ laws to targeted reforms. |
| 2024–25 | Employment Rights Bill | Lords secured significant amendments including implementation delay provisions. |
Analysis: Why Lords Reform Is Hard
The House of Lords has been debated for over a century. The last major reform came under Tony Blair in 1999, when most hereditary peers were removed, leaving 92 as a transitional arrangement — an arrangement that persisted for 25 years until Labour finally removed them in 2024.
Despite 61% public support for elections to the Lords, successive governments have hesitated to act for several reasons. An elected second chamber would have democratic legitimacy to challenge the Commons more forcefully, potentially creating legislative gridlock. The Lords current constitutional role — to revise, delay and reconsider legislation without ultimately blocking it — is widely viewed as a useful check without the confrontational dynamics of a fully rival elected chamber.
Labour 2024 manifesto committed only to removing hereditary peers, which has been accomplished. More fundamental reform is blocked by internal Labour disagreement: some MPs want abolition, others want elections, and the party leadership prefers modest reform to avoid a constitutional battle while managing the country other challenges.
The Lords has already used its revising powers to amend the Employment Rights Bill and several other government measures since 2024, demonstrating that even without hereditary peers, the chamber retains considerable influence over legislation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many members does the House of Lords have?
As of May 2026, the House of Lords has approximately 780 members following the removal of the 92 hereditary peers in 2024. Members include life peers appointed by successive Prime Ministers, Lords Spiritual (Church of England bishops), and law lords.
Can the Lords block legislation?
Under the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949, the Lords can delay but not ultimately block most legislation. They can send bills back to the Commons with amendments and force reconsideration, but the Commons retains the final say. The Lords cannot delay or amend money bills at all.
Does Labour want to abolish the House of Lords?
Labour official policy is not to abolish the Lords but to reform it. The 2024 manifesto committed to removing hereditary peers (done) and consulting on further reform. Full abolition is supported by the SNP and some Labour backbenchers but is not government policy. 18% of voters support abolition.