Statutory Instruments
2026 No. 21
DEFENCE
The Armed Forces (Service Complaints) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
Made 7th January 2026
Laid before Parliament 15th January 2026
Coming into force 1st April 2026

The Defence Council makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 340B(4), 340D(6), 340G(1) and (3), and 340M(5) of the Armed Forces Act 2006.
2006 c. 52. Sections 340B, 340D, 340G and 340M were inserted by section 2(1) of the Armed Forces (Service Complaints and Financial Assistance) Act 2015 (c. 19). Section 340D was amended by section 10 of the Armed Forces Act 2021 (c. 35). The Defence Council is treated as if it were a Minister of the Crown for the purposes of the Statutory Instruments Act 1946 (c. 36) by virtue of section 373(2) of the Armed Forces Act 2006.

Citation, commencement, interpretation and extent
1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Armed Forces (Service Complaints) (Amendment) Regulations 2026.
(2) These Regulations come into force on 1st April 2026.
(3) In these Regulations, the “2015 Regulations” means the Armed Forces (Service Complaints) Regulations 2015.
S.I. 2015/1955, as amended by S.I. 2022/494.
(4) These Regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Amendment of the 2015 Regulations
2. (1) The 2015 Regulations are amended as follows.
(2) In regulation 2(1) (interpretation)—
(a) insert in the appropriate place—

““Commissioner” means the Armed Forces Commissioner;”;

(b) omit the definition of “Ombudsman”.
(3) In each place it occurs, for “Ombudsman” substitute “Commissioner”.
(4) In both of the following places, for “Ombudsman’s” substitute “Commissioner’s”—
(a) the heading of regulation 7;
(b) the heading of regulation 12.
On behalf of the Defence Council
Louise Sandher-Jones
Sharon Nesmith
Members of the Defence Council
Ministry of Defence
7th January 2026

Explanatory Note
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
The Armed Forces (Service Complaints) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/1955) (“the 2015 Regulations”) make provision about the procedure for making and dealing with a service complaint.
Regulation 2 makes amendments to the 2015 Regulations, which are consequential upon the commencement of section 2 of the Armed Forces Commissioner Act 2025 (c. 23) and the transfer of functions from the Service Complaints Ombudsman to the Armed Forces Commissioner.
A full impact assessment has not been prepared for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.