Legislation

Learn more about human rights law in the UK, including the European Convention on Human Rights which the UK helped to write and the different sections of the Human Rights Act.

What's in the European Convention on Human Rights?

A section-by-section guide to the ECHR.

What's in the Human Rights Act?

A section-by-section guide to the Human Rights Act.
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How are laws made?

Find out how a Bill becomes law with our plain-language explainer of the process across different parts of the UK.
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What is universality?

Read our explainer on the principle of universality and how human rights apply to everyone.

How to bring a legal case

Read our plain-language guide to bringing a legal case including by judicial review. Please be aware BIHR cannot support on individual cases.
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What is judicial review?

Find out more about judicial review, how it works and why it is important for human rights.

What is the Magna Carta?

Find out where the Magna Carta comes from, what it does and which clauses are still law today.

All About the European Convention on Human Rights

What is the European Convention on Human Rights? What does it mean for the UK? Find out about the ECHR and how it protects all our human rights in our plain-language and Easy Read explainers.

The Living Instrument & Margin of Appreciation Principles

Find out why the European Convention on Human Rights is described as a "living instrument" and what the margin of appreciation means for individual countries.
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What is proportionality?

Read our explainer on the principle of proportionality and how it helps to ensure human rights are respected, protected and fulfilled.

The Council of Europe versus the European Union

Our plain-language explainer highlights some of the key differences between the Council of Europe and the European Union from the perspective of rights protections.
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Separation of Powers, Parliamentary Sovereignty & the Rule of Law

Read our explainer on key principles of the UK's legal and political system and how they connect to the Human Rights Act.
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The Relationship Between the Human Rights Act and the European Convention on Human Rights

Read our explainer on the UK's Human Rights Act and its relationship to the ECHR including why we need both and how they apply in devolved nations.
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Hybrid public bodies: What is a “public authority” under the Human Rights Act?

Read our explainer on what constitutes a public body for the purposes of the Human Rights Act - and what it might cover more organisations than you think.
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What do we mean by the State, Governments & Public Bodies?

We look at the different people and bodies that have duties and how you might see them referred to in laws, legal cases and guidance.

What are positive obligations?

Our one-minute video gives a brief overview of the requirement for public bodies to take active steps to respect, protect and fulfil human rights for everyone in the UK.

What are interim measures?

Read about interim measures from the European Court of Human Rights and how they apply in the UK.
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The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act

Read about the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act and our human rights concerns.

The Elections Act, Voter ID & the Right to Free Elections

Read about what the Elections Act 2022 does, what it means for human rights in the UK and steps you can take to access your right to vote.
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UK General Election 2024 Manifestos and Human Rights – What do they say?

An explainer on the human rights pledges in the 2024 general election party manifestos.

Mental Health Act Reform: A human rights explainer

Read about the Mental Health Bill and what it means for human rights in the UK in our plain-language and Easy Read explainers.
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The Human Rights Act & Outsourcing Public Services

With an increased number of services that were once delivered by traditional public bodies now being contracted out to private organisations, this page looks at who has a legal duty to protect human rights and how to better protect human rights in practice.

Five human rights changes in the new Mental Health Act

The Mental Health Act is changing. BIHR talks through five important changes to the law and what they mean for human rights, with information about an upcoming webinar where you can find out more, on 20th January 2026.