Statutory Instruments with Clear Reports
09 February 2026
SL(6)734 – The Education (Student Finance) (Amounts) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) Regulations 2026
Procedure: Senedd annulment procedure
These Regulations amend the following regulations:
· the Higher Education (Amounts) (Wales) Regulations 2015 (“the 2015 Regulations”);
· the Education (Student Support) (Wales) Regulations 2017;
· the Education (Student Support) (Wales) Regulations 2018;
· the Education (Postgraduate Doctoral Degree Loans) (Wales) Regulations 2018; and
· the Education (Student Support) (Postgraduate Master's Degrees) (Wales) Regulations 2019.
These Regulations amend existing student support regulations to adjust the amounts of student maintenance support and other allowances and postgraduate contribution to costs support in line with a measure of the Consumer Price Index.
These Regulations also amend the 2015 Regulations to increase the full-time undergraduate tuition fee caps and apply these caps to all qualifying persons on qualifying courses at regulated Welsh institutions for academic years beginning on or after 1 August 2026. Raising the tuition fee cap does not increase the tuition fee charged, which is a matter for the institution providing the course.
Parent Act: Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998
Date Made: 20 January 2026
Date Laid: 22 January 2026
Coming into force date: 12 February 2026
Statutory Instruments with Clear Reports
09 February 2026
SL(6)735 – The Local Government Finance (Wales) Act 2024 (Commencement No. 1) Order 2026
Procedure: No Procedure
This Order is the first commencement order made under the Local Government Finance (Wales) Act 2024 (“the Act”).
This Order brings the remaining provisions of section 18 of the Act into force on 1 April 2026. Section 18(2)(c) and (5) are already in force for the purposes specified in section 23(6) of the Act.
Parent Act: Local Government Finance (Wales) Act 2024
Date Made: 22 January 2026
Date Laid:
Coming into force date: 01 April 2026
Statutory Instruments with Clear Reports
09 February 2026
Procedure: Senedd approval procedure
These Regulations amend the following sets of regulations:
(i) the Regulated Adoption Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2019, and
(ii) the Adoption Support Services (Local Authorities) (Wales) Regulations 2005.
The changes being made are as follows:
· extending the existing exemption from registration for adoption services providing support services under contract to also cover services delivered by partnerships and corporate bodies under contract;
· creating an additional exemption from registration for counselling in relation to adoption provided to adults;
· replacing references to “natural parent” with “birth parent” (with no change in the meaning of the term);
· extending eligibility for certain adoption services to include former guardians of an adoptive child; and
· specifying that respite care involving accommodation must be provided under specific statutory provisions in order to qualify as an adoption support service.
Parent Act: Adoption and Children Act 2002
Date Made:
Date Laid: 27 January 2026
Coming into force date: 01 April 2026