Do the new subscription rules apply to existing subscribers?
The draft guidance says the rules apply only to subscription contracts entered into from January 2027, so they are not retrospective. For an existing contract that renews onto a new term, the draft guidance repeats that the rules only apply to contracts entered into from January 2027, and describes giving all customers the same protections as best practice.
The government has announced the rules will come into force in January 2027; the exact date will be set in regulations. Parts of this guide rest on draft regulations or draft guidance, which are subject to Parliament's approval and may change.
A quotation below gives a day because the draft text does. It is a draft, and the date is not confirmed until the regulations are made.
Last checked against official sources: . This page is general information, not legal advice.
What the official sources say
The draft FAQ says no retrospective effect
The draft guidance FAQ says the rules are not retrospective. They apply only to new subscription contracts entered into from the start of the regime in January 2027.
No, the rules only apply to new subscription contracts entered into on or after the subscription regime comes into force on the 1 January 2027.
Source: DBT guidance on the subscription contracts rules - full text (draft, subject to Parliament)
Older contracts stay under the 2013 rules
The draft guidance says the subscription rules replace the earlier information and cooling-off requirements only for the subscription contracts they cover. Those earlier requirements continue to apply to other consumer contracts, including ones entered into before the subscription rules come into force.
These requirements of the CCRs will continue to apply to other consumer contracts, including those entered into before the subscription rules come into force.
Source: DBT guidance on the subscription contracts rules - full text (draft, subject to Parliament)
What the draft guidance says about renewals
The draft guidance FAQ covers an existing contract that rolls over onto a new term, such as an annual contract. It repeats that the rules only apply to contracts entered into from January 2027, and describes consistent protection for consumers as best practice, not as a requirement.
The subscription rules only apply to contracts entered into on or after 1 January 2027. In general, we consider best practice would be for consumers to receive consistent protections, regardless of when they take out their contract.
Source: DBT guidance on the subscription contracts rules - full text (draft, subject to Parliament)
The draft regulations say the same about scope
The draft regulations say they apply only to a subscription contract entered into on or after the day the Act's definition of a subscription contract comes into force. They do not reach back to earlier contracts.
These Regulations apply only to a subscription contract entered into on or after section 254 of the DMCCA comes into force.
The draft guidance is itself still a draft
The draft guidance says the draft regulations need Parliament's approval before they can come into force. The final guidance will be published only after the regulations are made.
This final guidance will be published after the Draft Consumer Subscription Contracts (Cancellation and Information) Regulations 2026 are made.
Source: DBT guidance on the subscription contracts rules - full text (draft, subject to Parliament)
Common questions
Are the rules retrospective?
No. The draft guidance says they apply only to new subscription contracts entered into from the start of the regime in January 2027.
Do the rules start when an existing contract auto-renews?
The draft guidance says the rules only apply to contracts entered into from January 2027. It describes consistent protection for all customers as best practice, not as a requirement.
What happens to contracts entered into before the start?
The draft guidance says the earlier information and cooling-off requirements continue to apply to other consumer contracts, including those entered into before the subscription rules come into force.
Check where you stand
The free readiness check takes ten questions about your sign-up, renewal and cancellation journey and gives you a score and the areas to look at, with no email needed to see it.
For a checklist that quotes the Act and flags items to re-check when the rules change, see the paid plan.
General information, not legal advice. Every quotation above is copied from the official text named beneath it; follow the link to read it in full.