A new House of Lords committee has proposed sweeping changes to the upper chamber, including a mandatory retirement age of 80 and a requirement that peers attend at least 20% of sitting days or face expulsion.
The cross-party Lords Retirement and Participation Committee, chaired by Baroness Taylor of Bolton, published its recommendations on Wednesday. The proposals aim to reduce the size of the Lords, currently at 774 members—one of the largest legislative bodies of its kind in the world.
Under the plan, the retirement age would be phased in gradually to avoid a sudden exodus. From July 8, 2029, the maximum retirement age would be set at 85, then reduced by one year annually until it reaches 80 by July 2034. New members would be required to agree in writing to retire by their 80th birthday.
Currently, peers need only attend a single day per session to remain eligible. The committee called this threshold "too low" and recommended raising it to 20% of sitting days, averaged over two sessions. Over the past decade, sessions have averaged about 170 days. The proposal includes allowances for emergency or compassionate absences.
Baroness Taylor described the measures as a "practical solution" to ensure the chamber's continued effectiveness. The government has been asked to respond to the report.
The recommendations follow the removal of 92 hereditary peers earlier this year, though some were subsequently granted life peerages. A House of Lords briefing estimated that by July 2029, 301 life peers would be over 80.
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