The UK SRS regulatory timeline, by actor
Four parallel tracks of activity from the UK Technical Advisory Committee's first recommendation to the proposed in-force date. Reading by row shows what each regulator did and when; reading by column shows the cluster of activity in early 2026.
Last verified 12 May 2026 · Footnotes link to primary sources
This page tracks regulatory developments from GOV.UK, FCA.org.uk, FRC.org.uk, and other official sources relating to the UK Sustainability Reporting Standards.
Key dates to watch: FCA final rules expected Autumn 2026, the FRC interim assurance register targeted to be operational by mid-2026, and the private companies consultation expected later in 2026.
For the full implementation schedule, see the UK SRS mandatory timeline.
Key Upcoming Milestones
Mid-2026 (target): FRC interim register of sustainability assurance practitioners — targeted, with no launch announcement as at 22 August 2026
Autumn 2026: FCA final policy statement on mandatory UK SRS S2 reporting rules
15 December 2026: ISSA (UK) 5000 assurance standard effective
1 January 2027: UK SRS S2 proposed mandatory for listed companies in scope
Later in 2026: Modernising Corporate Reporting consultation, which DBT has said will consider the need for Companies Act requirements for private entities to report against UK SRS — no scope, threshold or date has been proposed
2026: DESNZ consultation on streamlining energy and emissions reporting, announced in the SECR post-implementation review and not yet launched
Developments Since February 2026
26 May 2026: DESNZ Publishes the Statutory Post-Implementation Review of SECR
DESNZ published the statutory post-implementation review of the SECR regulations on 26 May 2026, with the formal departmental recommendation to amend rather than remove.
"The overarching recommendation is to retain the SECR requirements with amendments… Removing SECR would risk reversing gains in transparency and board level accountability."
Refinements will be explored through a planned 2026 consultation on streamlining energy and emissions reporting, which has not yet launched.
UK SRS does not replace or phase out SECR: the government has committed only to consider how energy and emissions data reported under UK SRS interacts with SECR, with a view to reducing unnecessary duplication where possible.
5 June 2026: FCA CP26/17 Proposes Removing Product-Level TCFD Reporting
FCA CP26/17 (Quarterly Consultation No 52), published 5 June 2026, proposes removing product-level TCFD reporting for asset managers, life insurers and FCA-regulated pension providers, replacing it with targeted retail and institutional disclosure rules.
The consultation closed on 13 July 2026 and final rules are expected in autumn 2026. Entity-level TCFD reporting is not changing — see TCFD vs UK SRS.
11 June 2026: DESNZ Publishes the 2026 GHG Conversion Factors
DESNZ published Greenhouse gas reporting: conversion factors 2026 on 11 June 2026, covering UK activities in 2026, with an accompanying methodology paper and major-changes report.
These are the factors used for SECR and for Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions reporting, and they are distinct from Defra's spend-based emissions multipliers published with the UK and England carbon footprint statistics.
25 June 2026: The Seventh Carbon Budget Is Set
The Carbon Budget Order 2026 (SI 2026/695), made 25 June 2026, sets the seventh carbon budget at 535 MtCO2e for the 2038–2042 period.
Carbon budgets are a duty on the Secretary of State under Climate Change Act 2008 section 4(1) — a national emissions ceiling the government must set and stay under. They create no direct obligation on any company, and are distinct from any UK SRS, SECR or ESOS disclosure duty.
Still outstanding as at 22 August 2026
FCA Policy Statement on CP26/5 — not published; expected autumn 2026
Modernising Corporate Reporting consultation covering private entities — not published; latest stated timing "later in 2026"
Government response to the DESNZ transition plan consultation — the consultation closed 17 September 2025 and GOV.UK still shows "We are analysing your feedback"
DESNZ consultation on streamlining energy and emissions reporting — announced in the SECR post-implementation review, not yet launched
Recent Regulatory Developments
February 2026: UK SRS S1 and S2 Final Standards Published
The Department for Business and Trade published the final UK SRS S1 and UK SRS S2 standards on 25 February 2026.
The standards are available for voluntary adoption immediately, with mandatory application for listed companies proposed from 1 January 2027.
January 2026: FCA CP26/5 Consultation Launch
The FCA launched consultation CP26/5 on sustainability disclosures on 30 January 2026, proposing mandatory UK SRS S2 for 515 listed companies in full scope, out of around 600 affected by the proposals in total (CP26/5 Annex 2, paragraph 43).
The consultation closed on 20 March 2026, with the final policy statement expected Autumn 2026.
November 2025: FRC Issues ISSA (UK) 5000
The FRC issued International Standard on Sustainability Assurance (UK) 5000 on 12 November 2025, effective for assurance engagements on sustainability information reported for periods beginning on or after 15 December 2026, with early application permitted.
The standard is for voluntary use: it governs how an assurance engagement is performed where one is commissioned, and creates no obligation to obtain assurance.
Forthcoming Developments to Watch
FCA Final Policy Statement
Expected Autumn 2026, the FCA's final policy statement will confirm or modify the mandatory UK SRS S2 requirements for listed companies.
This will establish the definitive scope, timeline, and transitional reliefs for mandatory reporting.
FRC Interim Assurance Register
The government has tasked the FRC with establishing an interim, non-legislative, voluntary public register of sustainability assurance practitioners, targeted to be operational by mid-2026, with statutory underpinning to follow when Parliamentary time allows.
As at 22 August 2026 there is no FRC announcement that the register is live.
Registration will be voluntary and profession-agnostic, covering both audit and non-audit professionals providing sustainability assurance, with an initial focus on firms rather than sole practitioners.
Private Companies Consultation
The Modernising Corporate Reporting programme, announced by DBT in a Written Ministerial Statement of 21 October 2025, "will include consideration of the need for requirements within the Companies Act for private entities to report against UK SRS".
That is consideration, not commitment: no government or regulator document has proposed any threshold or date for private-company UK SRS reporting, and the consultation has not been published.
The latest stated timing is "later in 2026".
Implementation Guidance Updates
How long UK SRS S2 implementation actually takes
Companies waiting for the FCA Policy Statement to begin preparation are already late. Practitioner consensus puts end-to-end implementation at twelve to eighteen months — driven by Scope 3 data, which can't be compressed.
Last verified 27 July 2026 · Click any workstream for detail
From kickoff to first UK SRS S2 report. Driven by Scope 3 supplier engagement and quantitative scenario modelling — neither compressible.
Of Scope 3 data work — from supplier engagement onset through validation. Of the 15 GHG Protocol categories, Category 1 and Category 11 typically account for >70% of total Scope 3 emissions.
Foundation phase before data work meaningfully begins. Materiality assessment and gap analysis are pre-requisites — running data collection without these creates wasted effort.
For background on what the standards require, see our guides on UK SRS S1, UK SRS S2, and the four-pillar framework.
Companies preparing for compliance should start with a gap analysis.
For analysis of the FCA CP26/5 consultation, see KPMG's CP26/5 analysis and BDO's overview of sustainability reporting requirements.
For common questions, visit the UK SRS FAQ.