Guides to the new UK subscription rules
Plain-English guides for small UK businesses that sell subscriptions to consumers, written from the Act, the draft regulations and the draft government guidance, with links to each.
Last updated
Where things stand (3 November 2026): the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 is law, but its subscription chapter is not yet in force. The detailed regulations are a draft that Parliament has not yet approved, and the government's guidance is also a draft. The intended start date is 1 January 2027, for contracts entered into on or after that date. Anything taken from a draft is labelled "draft".
The new UK subscription rules: a plain-English guide for small businesses
Who is covered, the six things you will need to do, what happens if you get it wrong, and what is still draft.
Subscription reminder notices: what they must say and when (with example wording)
Which payments need a reminder, how far ahead to send it, the facts it must contain, and an example email.
Cooling-off periods for subscription renewals explained
Which renewals start a new 14-day cooling-off period, how to count the days, the separate notice you must send, and refunds.
How to let customers cancel a subscription online under the new UK rules
What a straightforward exit looks like, what the draft guidance says is and is not acceptable, and the confirmation you must send.
Using Stripe? What the new UK subscription rules mean for you
What Stripe already does (reminder emails, customer portal, Checkout text), where the gaps are, and what to check in your settings.
Free trials and introductory offers under the new UK subscription rules
What to tell customers before a trial, the reminder before the first full-price payment, the cooling-off notice after it, and a worked timeline.
A compliance checklist for the new UK subscription rules
Everything to check before the rules start, in order: scope, sign-up page, emails, cancelling, refunds and records.
This is not legal advice. It is a plain-English summary of published rules, several of which are still in draft, written to help small businesses understand them. FairRenew sends notices; it does not give legal advice. Check your own position with a qualified adviser.