The Human Rights Act

What is the Human Rights Act?

The Human Rights Act 1998 (also known as the Act or the HRA) came into force in the United Kingdom in October 2000. It is composed of a series of sections that have the effect of codifying the protections in the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law.

• All public bodies (such as courts, police, local governments, hospitals, publicly funded schools, and others) and other bodies carrying out public functions have to comply with the Convention rights.
• This means, among other things, that individuals can take human rights cases in domestic courts; they no longer have to go to Strasbourg to argue their case in the European Court of Human Rights.

The Act sets out the fundamental rights and freedoms that individuals in the UK have access to.

In-depth descriptions of the Articles that make up the Act

• Right to life
• Freedom from torture and inhuman or degrading treatment
• Right to liberty and security
• Freedom from slavery and forced labour
• Right to a fair trial
• No punishment without law
• Respect for your private and family life, home and correspondence
• Freedom of thought, belief and religion
• Freedom of expression
• Freedom of assembly and association
• Right to marry and start a family
• Protection from discrimination in respect of these rights and freedoms
• Right to peaceful enjoyment of your property
• Right to education
• Right to participate in free elections

Further information

You can download a full copy of the Act: Human Rights Act 1998.

For more information on where your human rights are set out, who the Human Rights Act applies to, and if human rights can be restricted, see How do human rights work?

• Human Rights Act - a guide
• Changes to the human rights framework

Last Updated: 15 Sep 2015