The Defence Council has made the Armed Forces (Service Complaints) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/21), laid before Parliament on 15 January 2026 and coming into force on 1 April 2026. The instrument updates the 2015 Service Complaints Regulations to reflect the creation of the Armed Forces Commissioner in place of the Service Complaints Ombudsman under the Armed Forces Commissioner Act 2025. ([legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/23/enacted?utm_source=openai))
In practical terms, the 2026 Regulations add a definition of “Commissioner” to regulation 2(1) of the 2015 Regulations, remove the definition of “Ombudsman”, and replace references to “Ombudsman” with “Commissioner” throughout. They also update the headings of regulations 7 and 12, which set out the review mechanism, so those provisions now refer to the Commissioner. The underlying provisions on reviews in regulations 7 and 12 were originally framed for the Ombudsman. ([legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/1955?utm_source=openai))
The legal driver is section 2 of the Armed Forces Commissioner Act 2025, which transfers the Service Complaints Ombudsman’s functions under Part 14A of the Armed Forces Act 2006 to the Armed Forces Commissioner. The amending Regulations are described as consequential upon that transfer. ([legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/23/crossheading/service-complaints/enacted?utm_source=openai))
For users of the complaints system, the route to independent review is unchanged in substance. Under the existing 2015 Regulations, the Ombudsman may review a specified officer’s decision that a complaint is inadmissible and a Defence Council decision that an appeal may not proceed (regulations 7 and 12). From the commencement date, these reviews will be undertaken by the Commissioner by virtue of the transferred functions. ([legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/1955/introduction/made?utm_source=openai))
Governance arrangements for the new office are set out in Schedule 14ZA to the Armed Forces Act 2006 (inserted by section 1 of the 2025 Act). The Commissioner is a corporation sole, is not to be regarded as a servant or agent of the Crown, and is appointed by His Majesty on the recommendation of the Secretary of State. ([legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/23?utm_source=openai))
The policy framework otherwise remains stable. The 2025 Act’s Explanatory Notes confirm that-aside from a technical change to section 340B so admissibility decisions can be taken by a specified “person” rather than an “officer”-no substantive alteration to the service complaints system is intended. ([legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/23/notes/division/4/index.htm?utm_source=openai))
The amendments apply across the United Kingdom, maintaining the UK‑wide reach of the Service Complaints Regulations 2015. The parent Act likewise extends to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with a limited exception for the provision establishing the Commissioner as a corporation sole. ([legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/23/enacted?utm_source=openai))
Operationally, this is an administrative update. The Ministry of Defence will need to refresh policy documents, forms and training materials so that all references read “Armed Forces Commissioner” from 1 April 2026. Sections 7(2) and 7(3) of the 2025 Act provide for commencement and any transitional or saving provisions by statutory instrument. ([legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/23?utm_source=openai))