Loading…

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(1).

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 ( 2 ).

(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

(1)

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.

(2)

S.I. 2015/1955, as amended by S.I. 2022/494.

Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
The Armed Forces (Service Complaints) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (2026/21)
Version from: original only

Displaying information

Status of this instrument

in force Provision is in force
in force* In force only for specified purposes (for detail about the purposes see/hover footnote)
not in force Not in force in England (may be in force in other geographies, see footnotes)
italics Defined term
dfn Defined term (alternative style)
gry bckgrd the in-force status of the provision is complex, check the footnotes
footnote commentary transitional and savings in force status related provisions geo extent insert/omit source count in force adj
Defined Term Section/Article ID Scope of Application
2015 Regulations reg. 1. def_7b4ac40c4b

Status of changes to instrument text

The list includes made instruments, both those in force and those yet to come into force. Typically, instruments that are not yet in force (hence their changes are not incorporated into the text above) are indicated by description 'not yet' in the changes made column.