2026 No. 21
DEFENCE

The Armed Forces (Service Complaints) (Amendment) Regulations 2026

Made
Laid before Parliament
Coming into force
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 20061.

Citation, commencement, interpretation and extent1.

(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 20152.

(4)

These Regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Amendment of the 2015 Regulations2.

(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
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.