What type of peers primarily make up the House of Lords?

The House of Lords is primarily composed of life peers, who are appointed and hold their titles for life but do not pass them on to their descendants. Life peers bring various expertise and experience from public life, academia, and business, which enhances the legislative process with their insights.

While lords temporal refers to hereditary peers and lords spiritual pertains to bishops in the Church of England, the significant majority of the House of Lords consists of life peers. This structure allows for a diverse range of perspectives and knowledge, contributing to the effectiveness of the House in reviewing legislation and providing oversight.

Thus, recognizing that life peers form the core of the membership in the House of Lords helps to understand how this chamber functions and its emphasis on expertise rather than electoral outcomes, which differentiates it from the elected legislative bodies like the House of Commons.