What's the Value of an Hereditary Peerage?

[marquess]

Now that the hereditary element of the House of Lords has been excluded from sitting, what is the value in having an hereditary peerage? The social distinction has been greatly diluted in recent times too the extent thata great deal of peers no longer bother with the Roll and some show indifference to producing legitimate offspring to succeed them. There is an article in the Complete Peerage about Irish peerages being of little value other than franking paper with a coat of arms. I fear that the hereditary peerage has now fallen into that category. 

[sven_me...@web.de]

There is nothing to fear about. Democracy is taking a big step forward in the UK.

[marquess]

I doubt that, Parliament is becoming more and more of a law unto itself. Abolition of jury trials, euthanasea bill, jailing peopole for posting on online, imposing migrants on rural areas etc.

[Henry W]

The answer as you say is "not much".  If peers have some wealth associated with the peerage then I imagine it helps to differentiate yours as "old money" but I doubt many care much about that distinction.  Whilst the peerage is not necessarily the cause, we shouldn't forget that hereditary peers are disroportionately influential in society, even if not as obvious as they once were.  

For some it will matter to maintain family tradition, especially if there was a particularly famous forebear (usually the first peer, but not always).