# The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Subscription Contracts) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026 Draft 2026, ISBN 9780348287929 These Regulations make amendments to primary and secondary legislation in consequence of the coming into force of Chapter 2 of Part 4 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13) (“the Act”) and the Consumer Subscription Contracts (Cancellation and Information) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/XXXX). Made under: Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Contents, Section 336) PDFs: Printed copy https://openlegislation.uk/draft-digital-markets-competition-and-consumers-act-2024-subscription-contracts-consequential-amendments-regulations-2026/pdf/ukdsi_9780348287929_en.pdf; UK Draft Explanatory Memorandum https://openlegislation.uk/draft-digital-markets-competition-and-consumers-act-2024-subscription-contracts-consequential-amendments-regulations-2026/pdf/ukdsiem_9780348287929_en_001.pdf ## Introductory text Draft Regulations laid before Parliament under sections 336(3) and 337(3) of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13), for approval by resolution of each House of Parliament. CONSUMER PROTECTION Made Coming into force 1st January 2027 The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 336(1) and (2) of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. In accordance with sections 336(3) and 337(3) of that Act, a draft of this instrument has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament. ## 1 Citation, commencement and extent (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Subscription Contracts) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026. (2) These Regulations come into force on 1st January 2027. (3) An amendment made by the Schedule to these Regulations has the same extent as the provision amended. ## 2 Consequential amendments The legislation referred to in the Schedule is amended as set out in that Schedule. ## Signature Name Title Date Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade ## Schedule: Amendments of legislation ### Part 1: Amendments to Acts of Parliament ## 1 Unsolicited Goods and Services Act 1971 In section 6 of the Unsolicited Goods and Services Act 1971 (interpretation), in subsection (3), after “the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013” insert “or Chapter 2 of Part 4 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024”. ## 2 Unsolicited Services (Trade and Business Directories) Act (Northern Ireland) 2010 In section 1 of the Unsolicited Services (Trade and Business Directories) Act (Northern Ireland) 2010 (control of charges for directory entries), in subsection (2), after “the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013” insert “or Chapter 2 of Part 4 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024”. ### Part 2: Amendments to other legislation ## 3 Financial Services (Distance Marketing) Regulations 2004 In regulation 11 of the Financial Services (Distance Marketing) Regulations 2004 (exceptions to the right to cancel), in paragraph (1), after sub-paragraph (e) insert— “(ea) a credit agreement cancelled under regulation 22(2) of the Consumer Subscription Contracts (Cancellation and Information) Regulations 2026 (cancellation during the initial cooling-off period: effect on ancillary contracts);”. ## 4 Legislative and Regulatory Reform (Regulatory Functions) Order 2007 In the Schedule to the Legislative and Regulatory Reform (Regulatory Functions) Order 2007 (functions to which sections 21 and 22 of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006 apply), in each of Part 3 and Part 6, in the entry “Part 3 and Chapter 1 of Part 4 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024”, in each place where it occurs, for “Chapter 1” substitute “Chapters 1 and 2”. ## 5 Co-ordination of Regulatory Enforcement (Regulatory Functions in Scotland and Northern Ireland) Order 2009 In Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the Co-ordination of Regulatory Enforcement (Regulatory Functions in Scotland and Northern Ireland) Order 2009 (functions specified for the purposes of Part 2 of the Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act 2008), in the entry “Chapter 1 of Part 4 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (protection from unfair trading)”— (a) for “Chapter 1” substitute “Chapters 1 and 2”; (b) for “(protection from unfair trading)” substitute “(protection from unfair trading and subscription contracts)”. ## Explanatory note (This note is not part of the Regulations) These Regulations make amendments to primary and secondary legislation in consequence of the coming into force of Chapter 2 of Part 4 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13) (“the Act”) and the Consumer Subscription Contracts (Cancellation and Information) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/XXXX). Chapter 2 of Part 4 of the Act gives consumers protections in relation to subscription contracts, including rights to cancel and related requirements on traders. Part 1 of the Schedule amends section 6(3) of the Unsolicited Goods and Services Act 1971 and section 1(2) of the Unsolicited Services (Trade and Business Directories) Act (Northern Ireland) 2010 so that those provisions also refer to Chapter 2 of Part 4 of the Act. This ensures that sections 3 and 3B of the 1971 Act and the rules in section 1 of the 2010 Act on liability to pay for directory entries, do not affect any consumer rights under Chapter 2 of Part 4 of the Act. Part 2 of the Schedule amends regulation 11(1) of the Financial Services (Distance Marketing) Regulations 2004 so that where a consumer cancels a subscription contract by exercising the right to cancel under section 264(1) of the Act during the initial cooling-off period, a related credit agreement that is terminated as a consequence of the cancellation is treated in the same way as a related credit agreement terminated under regulation 38(1) of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. Part 2 also amends the Legislative and Regulatory Reform (Regulatory Functions) Order 2007 so that when regulators and local authorities exercise regulatory functions under Chapter 2 of Part 4 of the Act, they must have regard to the statutory principles in section 21 of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006 and to the code of practice issued under section 22 of the same Act. In addition, Part 2 amends the Co-ordination of Regulatory Enforcement (Regulatory Functions in Scotland and Northern Ireland) Order 2009 so that local authority functions under Chapter 2 of Part 4 of the Act in Scotland and Northern Ireland fall within the primary authority scheme under Part 2 of the Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act 2008, in the same way as the functions under Chapter 1 of Part 4 of the Act. An impact assessment has not been prepared for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen. --- Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2026/9780348287929 (the official version) Page: https://openlegislation.uk/draft-digital-markets-competition-and-consumers-act-2024-subscription-contracts-consequential-amendments-regulations-2026 Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.