Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Commencement No. 6 and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/1191 (C. 76)) (“the No. 6 Regulations”), the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Commencement No. 8 and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/319 (C. 10)) (“the No. 8 Regulations”) and the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Commencement No. 9 and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/515 (C. 22)) (“the No. 9 Regulations”).

The No. 6, No. 8 and No. 9 Regulations brought Part 3 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (c. 17) (“the Act”), except for section 55, into force for specified areas of England and Wales. These provisions were commenced on a piloted basis, for specified periods of time ending with 26th November 2025.

Regulations 2, 3 and 4 of these Regulations amend the No. 6, No. 8 and No. 9 Regulations so that Part 3 of the Act, as commenced by those instruments, continues to be in force in those areas until 31st March 2026.

Regulation 4 of these Regulations further amends the saving provisions made by regulation 3 of the No. 9 Regulations, by clarifying the points at which Part 3 of the Act, except section 55, will continue to have effect once the pilot ends. This includes the case where an appeal has been made against a court’s decision not to make a domestic abuse protection order before the end of the pilot, and the appeal is yet to be determined. Further amendments clarify that the saving provision made by the amended regulation 3(1) of the No. 9 Regulations applies for all of the purposes set out in the amended regulation 3(2) as may be relevant to the particular case in question. These amendments also correct defects in the saving provisions made by the No. 9 Regulations identified by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments in its twenty-seventh report of Session 2024-25.

An impact assessment has not been published for these Regulations as no significant impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen arising from the provisions these Regulations amend. An impact assessment has been published in relation to the Act which does consider the impact of domestic abuse protection orders and copies can be obtained from the Ministry of Justice, 102 Petty France, London SW1H 9AJ, or from this website: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1007463/DA_Act_2021_Impact_Assessment.pdf.