{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/human-rights-act-1998/section-6",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/human-rights-act-1998/section-6.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1998/42",
  "legislation_title": "Human Rights Act 1998",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/human-rights-act-1998",
  "path": "section/6",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "6",
  "heading": "Acts of public authorities.",
  "text": "(1) It is unlawful for a public authority to act in a way which is incompatible with a Convention right.\n(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to an act if—\n(a) as the result of one or more provisions of primary legislation, the authority could not have acted differently; or\n(b) in the case of one or more provisions of, or made under, primary legislation which cannot be read or given effect in a way which is compatible with the Convention rights, the authority was acting so as to give effect to or enforce those provisions.\n(3) In this section “public authority” includes—\n(a) a court or tribunal, and\n(b) any person certain of whose functions are functions of a public nature,\nbut does not include either House of Parliament or a person exercising functions in connection with proceedings in Parliament.\n(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(5) In relation to a particular act, a person is not a public authority by virtue only of subsection (3)(b) if the nature of the act is private.\n(6) “An act” includes a failure to act but does not include a failure to—\n(a) introduce in, or lay before, Parliament a proposal for legislation; or\n(b) make any primary legislation or remedial order.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 6(4) repealed (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 40, 146, 148, Sch. 9 para. 66(4), Sch. 18 Pt. 5; S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)(f)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 6 excluded (5.3.2015) by Infrastructure Act 2015 (c. 7), ss. 8(3)(b), 57(1); S.I. 2015/481, reg. 2(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "Ss. 6-9 excluded (25.4.2024) by Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024 (c. 8), ss. 2(5)(b), 3, 10(1) (with ss. 4, 10(2))"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C3",
      "text": "S. 6(1) applied (2.10.2000) by 1999 c. 33, ss. 65(2), 170(4); S.I. 2000/2444, art. 2, Sch. 1 (subject to transitional provisions in arts. 3, 4, Sch. 2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C4",
      "text": "S. 6(3)(b) modified (1.12.2008 with exception in art. 2(2) of commencing S.I.) by Health and Social Care Act 2008 (c. 14), ss. 145(1)-(4), 170 (with s. 145(5)); S.I. 2008/2994, art. 2(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C5",
      "text": "S. 6(3)(b) applied (1.4.2015) by Care Act 2014 (c. 23), s. 73(2)(3)127; S.I. 2015/993, art. 2(r) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2015/995)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C6",
      "text": "S. 6(3)(b) modified (6.4.2026) by 1983 c. 20, s. 142C (as inserted by Mental Health Act 2025 (c. 33), ss. 51, 56(3); S.I. 2026/385, reg. 2(a))"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/42/section/6",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:22:17.225458+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}