The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Alternative Dispute Resolution) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026

Statutory Instruments

2026 No. 263

CONSUMER PROTECTION

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Alternative Dispute Resolution) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026

Made

9th March 2026

Coming into force

6th April 2026

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(1).

A draft of these Regulations has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament in accordance with section 336(3) and 337(3) of that Act.

Part 1 Introductory

Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Alternative Dispute Resolution) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026.

(2) These Regulations come into force on 6th April 2026.

(3) An amendment made by these Regulations has the same extent as the provision amended.

Part 2 Amendments to Acts of Parliament

Amendment to Consumer Rights Act 2015

2.  In Part 4 of Schedule 5 (investigatory powers etc) to the Consumer Rights Act 2015(2), in paragraph 20A omit “Regulation 19(1) and (2) of the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015.”.

Amendment to Energy Act 2023

3.  In the Energy Act 2023(3), omit section 218 (alternative dispute resolution for consumer disputes).

Amendment to Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024

4.  In Part 1 of Schedule 15 to the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (consumer protection enactments), in paragraph 2 (secondary legislation) omit—

“Regulations 19(1) and (2) of the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/542)

(1) All public designated enforcers. (2) All private designated enforcers.”.

Part 3 Amendments to other legislation

Amendment to Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangement Regulations 2018

5.  In paragraph 7 of Schedule 5 (information to be provided in the package travel contract) to the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangement Regulations 2018(4), for “the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015” substitute “Chapter 4 of Part 4 to the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024”.

Amendment to Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Claims Management Activity) Order 2018

6.  In article 71 (procedure for dealing with relevant complaints) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Claims Management Activity) Order 2018(5), at the end of paragraph (7), after “dispute)”—

(a) omit “.” and,

(b) insert “as it was in force on 1st April 2019.”

Kate Dearden

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

Department for Business and Trade

9th March 2026

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 Part 4 Chapter 4 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13) (“the Act”) on 6th April 2026 and the revocation of the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015 (“the 2015 ADR Regulations”) (S.I. 2015/542).

Regulations 2 to 5 make consequential amendments to primary and secondary legislation removing redundant references of the 2015 ADR Regulations and in some cases, replacing them with a reference to Part 4 Chapter 4 of the Act.

Regulation 6 adds a point in time reference to article 71 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Claims Management Activity) Order 2018 to clarify that the reference to paragraph 13 of Schedule 3 to the 2015 ADR Regulations is fixed to the specific point at which article 71(7) came into force and does not reference the 2015 ADR Regulations as they exist following revocation.

The impact assessments completed for the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill, introduced to Parliament on 25th April 2023, contain an assessment of the effect that the reforms to the consumer regime will have on the costs of business, the voluntary sector and the public sector. They are available at: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3453/publications. Printed copies can be obtained from the Department for Business and Trade, Old Admiralty Building, Admiralty Place, London, SW1A 2DY.

(1)

2024 c. 13.

(2)

2015 c. 15. Paragraph 20A and cross-heading inserted by Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13), section 339(1), Schedule 18, paragraph 11(10) (with Schedule 19); S.I. 2025/272, regulation 2(1) and (9).

(3)

2023 c. 52.

(4)

S.I. 2018/634. Reference to Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015 was inserted by S.I. 2018/1367, regulations 1(1) and 12(b).

(5)

S.I. 2018/1253.