The Social Responsibility, Action and Heroism Bill (the SARAH Bill) sets out various factors that the court “must have regard to” in determining the steps a defendant was required to take to meet a standard of care in claims for negligence or breach of statutory duty.
Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Bill (HL Bill 47 of 2014–15) (270KB PDF)
It was announced in the Queen’s Speech on 4 June 2014 that a bill would be brought forward “to provide that where a person acts heroically, responsibly or for the benefit of others, this will be taken into account by the courts”. The Social Responsibility, Action and Heroism Bill (the SARAH Bill) sets out various factors that the court “must have regard to” in determining the steps a defendant was required to take to meet a standard of care in claims for negligence or breach of statutory duty. The Bill completed its passage through the House of Commons without amendment and is scheduled to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 4 November 2014.
This Library Note examines the background to the Bill, including the current legal framework; provides an overview of the Bill’s provisions; and summarises proceedings on the Bill in the House of Commons.
Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Bill (HL Bill 47 of 2014–15) (270KB PDF)
In January 2026, the government announced a new scheme to support urgent repairs and essential improvements to listed places of worship. Called the ‘Places of worship renewal fund for England’, it replaced the ‘Listed places of worship grant scheme’ which had run since 2001. This briefing provides an overview of both schemes, the government’s reasoning for the change and the reaction of stakeholders.
There have been big differences in expenditure across different forms of healthcare for a number of years. In 2024/25, spending on acute care was £74.7bn, compared to £14.5bn on primary care and £13.8bn on community services. Both the 2024 Labour Party manifesto and the subsequent 10 year health plan for England contained an emphasis on shifting towards more care being delivered in local communities rather than in acute settings, dubbed a ‘neighbourhood health service’.
Concerns about abuse and intimidation towards elected representatives have increased in recent years. The Jo Cox Civility Commission made a number of recommendations in a 2024 report to address this because of concerns that this activity would dissuade people from standing in elections and encourage existing representatives to stand down. The government has instigated a number of policies to tackle the abuse and intimidation of elected representatives.
