Human Rights Act?
What is the UK Human Rights Act?
Human rights in the UK are mostly influenced by the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR), with the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) setting out the main principles of the ECHR in UK Law.
The main justification behind the Human Rights Act 1998 is to provide further weight and prominence to the fundamental human rights and freedoms under the European Convention of Human Rights. The way in which it does this are:
• Making it unlawful for any public body to act in a way that is incompatible with the ECHR
• Offering a solution for breaches of the convention in UK courts, avoiding lengthy appeals to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg
• Allowing the judiciary to interpret Acts of Parliament to ensure that they are compatible with the ECHR
Allowing the judiciary to interpret Acts of Parliament to ensure that they are compatible with the ECHR
In summary, the Human Rights Act 1998 preserves in UK law your right to defend your basic rights from public organisations in UK courts. Under the legislation, public bodies (including the Government, the Courts, regulators, local authorities, defence forces, the police, or the prison services) must treat individuals with equality and respect.
The freedoms and rights defined in the Human Rights Act 1998 are also protected by European bodies, therefore an individual may take a complaint to the European Court in Strasbourg if they are unhappy with how their individual situation has been handled in the UK.
Make a claim under the Human Rights Act
The time limit for making a claim is 12 months, unless your case is a personal injury claim, where you have three years to start your claim, or a judicial review case, which have a time limit of three months. However, in circumstances, if you have a Human Rights Act claim that falls outside of the legal time limit, our Human Rights solicitors may still be able to assist you.
At RKB Law, we are dedicated to the promotion and protection of rights and freedoms legislated in the Human Rights Act, and fighting inequality, injustice and discrimination is at the core of what we do. Our Human Rights lawyers work with integrity, providing clear and concise advice and representation to all our clients.
For further information or to speak to one of our Human Rights Solicitors today please contact us on 01622 541 054 or fill in our enquiry form.
Useful Links
Human Rights Act 1998 - www.legislation.gov.uk
How the Human Rights Act works www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk - www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk