3.—(1) The following provisions of the Act come into force on 1 January 2026—
(a)section 14(2)(c) (duty to submit and publish annual return),
(b)section 15 (application for cancellation of service provider’s registration: information to be provided),
(c)sub-paragraphs (2) and (5) to (8) of paragraph 7 of Schedule 1, and section 22 (social care: minor and consequential amendments) in so far as it relates to those sub-paragraphs,
(d)section 20 (direct payments in social care)—
(i)subsection (1);
(ii)subsection (2)(a);
(iii)subsection (2)(c) and (d), but only in so far as it commences paragraphs 1, 2 and 6 to 8 of Schedule A1 to the 2014 Act, and
(e)paragraph 5(3)(d) of Schedule 1.
(2) The following provisions of the Act come into force on 1 April 2026—
(a)section 14 in so far as not already in force,
(b)section 17 (information, inspection and investigations), except subsection (3),
(c)section 19 (fitness to practice cases: powers to extend interim orders),
(d)sub-paragraphs (9) to (13) of paragraph 7 of Schedule 1, and section 22 in so far as it relates to those sub-paragraphs,
(e)section 20 in so far as not already in force, and
(f)paragraphs 3, 4(1) and (3), 5 and 6 of Schedule 1, and section 22 in so far as it relates to those paragraphs, in so far as not already in force.