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The Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Act 2015 is a piece of legislation in the United Kingdom that aims to provide legal protection to individuals who take socially responsible actions or demonstrate heroism in certain situations. Enacted on 12 February 2015, the Act seeks to address concerns about the potential chilling effect of liability on individuals who act in a responsible and helpful manner.
	The '''Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Act 2015''' is an England and Wales statute about negligence and breach of statutory duty. It tells courts to have regard to certain matters when deciding what steps a person was required to take to meet a standard of care.

== Key Provisions ==
The Act introduces several key provisions that impact legal proceedings and considerations related to negligence and liability:
	The Act is often called the '''SARAH Act'''. It was promoted as reassurance for volunteers, employers and people who step in during emergencies. Its practical importance is more limited than the title suggests, because it does not create a general immunity from being sued.

=== Social Responsibility ===
The Act emphasizes that the court should consider whether the defendant was acting for the benefit of society or any part of it when determining the standard of care that should be applied in a negligence claim.
	== Scope ==
	The Act applies when a court is considering a claim that a person was negligent or breached a relevant statutory duty. The court must decide what steps the person was required to take to meet the standard of care.

=== Heroism ===
The Act requires the court to take into account whether the defendant showed a "predominantly responsible approach" towards protecting the safety or health of others when assessing liability in negligence claims.
	Sections 2 to 4 then require the court to have regard to whether the person was:

=== Impact on Legal Proceedings ===
The Act does not create new causes of action or defences, but it aims to guide courts in their assessment of negligence claims by considering the context in which the alleged negligence occurred.
	* Acting for the benefit of society or any of its members.
	* Taking a generally responsible approach to protecting the safety or interests of others.
	* Acting heroically by intervening in an emergency to assist someone in danger.

== Rationale ==
The Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Act 2015 was introduced to address concerns that individuals might be deterred from taking responsible and helpful actions due to the fear of potential legal liability. Supporters of the Act argue that it encourages acts of social responsibility and heroism by providing greater clarity and reassurance regarding the legal standards applied to such actions.
	== Social Action ==
	The social action provision is aimed at conduct done for the benefit of society or members of society. It can be relevant to volunteers, community organisers and people helping with public or charitable activities.

== Criticisms ==
Critics of the Act argue that it may have limited practical impact and that the existing legal framework already allows for the consideration of the defendant's conduct and motivations in negligence cases. Some legal experts have expressed concerns that the Act might not significantly change the outcome of negligence claims and that the language used in the Act, such as "heroism," could be vague and open to interpretation.
	An example might be a volunteer helping to run a community event. If an accident happens, the court can consider that the person was acting for a public or community benefit when assessing the standard of care.

	== Responsibility ==
	The responsibility provision concerns whether the person demonstrated a generally responsible approach towards protecting the safety or interests of others.

	This can matter for employers, organisers, landholders or other people who had to manage risk before something went wrong. It does not make poor safety practice acceptable, but it directs the court to look at the broader conduct rather than one isolated error.

	== Heroism ==
	The heroism provision concerns intervention in an emergency to assist somebody in danger. The policy aim was to avoid discouraging people from helping others because they feared being sued if the rescue was imperfect.

	An example might be a passer-by pulling somebody away from immediate danger. A court can take account of the emergency context and the fact that the person was trying to help under pressure.

	== What the Act Does Not Do ==
	The Act does not abolish negligence. It does not stop a claim being brought, and it does not guarantee that a rescuer, volunteer or business will win. It adds factors the court must consider when assessing the required standard of care.

	That distinction matters. A person can still be liable if their conduct falls below the standard expected in the circumstances, especially where there was time to plan, clear safety rules existed, or the risk was obvious.

	== Practical Examples ==
	=== Volunteer at a Local Event ===
	A volunteer helps manage a charity fun run. A participant trips because a route marker was placed badly. The court may consider that the volunteer was acting for community benefit, but it will still ask whether reasonable care was taken.

	=== Employer With Safety Systems ===
	An employer has risk assessments, training and equipment checks, but an accident still happens. The court may consider the employer's generally responsible approach, while still examining whether the particular risk was handled properly.

	=== Emergency Intervention ===
	A person sees someone in immediate danger and pulls them away, causing a minor injury in the process. The court may consider the emergency and the attempt to help when deciding whether the intervention was negligent.

	== Criticism ==
	The Act has been criticised for being more symbolic than transformative. Existing negligence law already considered context, reasonableness and emergency circumstances. Critics argued that the Act added political language without greatly changing outcomes.

	Supporters argued that even a modest statutory signal could reassure people who might otherwise avoid volunteering, helping others or intervening in emergencies.

	== See Also ==
	* [[Reasonable force]]
	* [[Self-defence in English law]]
	* [[United Kingdom]]
	* [[Parliamentary_democracy]]

	== References ==
	* [https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/3 Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Act 2015]
	* [https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/3/notes Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Act 2015: Explanatory Notes]
	* [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-action-responsibility-and-heroism-bill-fact-sheet GOV.UK: Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Bill fact sheet]
	* [https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn06997/ House of Commons Library: Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Bill progress]
	* [https://www.gov.uk/government/news/courts-to-recognise-good-intentions-of-volunteers-and-small-busineses GOV.UK: Courts to recognise good intentions of volunteers and small businesses]

	[[Category:UK law]]
	[[Category:Civil law]]
	[[Category:Public safety]]