The Clergy Conduct Rules 2026

Made: 11th July 2026

Laid before Parliament: 30th July 2026

Coming into force in accordance with rule 1(2)

The Rule Committee makes these Rules in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 83 and 94 of the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and Care of Churches Measure 2018[^f00001].

Part 1 — INTRODUCTORY

Citation, commencement and interpretation

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• (1) These Rules may be cited as the Clergy Conduct Rules 2026.

• (2) These Rules come into force immediately after the commencement of section 2 of the Clergy Conduct Measure 2026[^f00002].

• (3) In these Rules, the Clergy Conduct Measure 2026 is referred to as “the CCM”.

• (4) A reference in these Rules to giving or sending a document to a person is to be read with rule 111.

• (5) An expression used in these Rules and in the CCM has the same meaning in these Rules as in the CCM.

• (6) A reference in these Rules to a numbered Form is to the Form numbered as such in Schedule 1.

Part 2 — OVERRIDING OBJECTIVE

Overriding objective

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• (1) The overriding objective of these Rules is to enable complaints to be dealt with justly.

• (2) Dealing with a complaint justly includes, so far as practicable—

• (a) ensuring that the parties are on an equal footing,

• (b) ensuring that the parties and all relevant interested persons are kept informed of the procedural progress of the complaint,

• (c) saving expense,

• (d) dealing with the complaint in a way that is fair to all relevant interested persons and proportionate to the importance of the matter and the complexity of the issues, and

• (e) ensuring that the complaint is dealt with expeditiously and fairly.

• (3) A tribunal, court or person exercising a function under the CCM must seek to give effect to the overriding objective—

• (a) in exercising that function,

• (b) in exercising any function conferred by these Rules, and

• (c) in interpreting a provision of these Rules.

• (4) A reference in this rule to a complaint includes a reference to an appeal or review arising out of a complaint.

Duty to co-operate

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• (1) Each party to a complaint, or to an appeal or review arising out of a complaint, must co-operate with a tribunal, court or person exercising a function under the CCM or these Rules in order to further the overriding objective.

• (2) A failure to co-operate by a party to a complaint, or to an appeal or review arising out of a complaint, may result in adverse inferences being drawn against that party at any stage.

• (3) And a failure to co-operate by an appellant or by an applicant for a review may, in particular, result in that party’s appeal or application being struck out.

Powers

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• (1) Where an application, appeal or request under the CCM or these Rules is made to the President of Tribunals, the President—

• (a) may give directions for the just disposal of the application, appeal or request in accordance with the overriding objective, and

• (b) may hold a hearing.

• (2) If the President decides to hold a hearing under paragraph (1)(b), the President must give notice of the hearing—

• (a) to each party, and

• (b) to any other person whom the President considers appropriate.

• (3) The President may, on the President’s own initiative, give directions for the just disposal of an application, appeal or request in accordance with the overriding objective.

• (4) The President may make any order or take any other step for the purpose of managing a complaint in accordance with the overriding objective.

Part 3 — PROTECTED PARTIES

Litigation friend: appointment

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• (1) The President of Tribunals may appoint a person under section 17 of the CCM as the litigation friend for another person (referred to in this Part as “the protected party”) if the President is satisfied that the person wishing to be so appointed—

• (a) can fairly and competently conduct the proceedings on the complaint in question for the protected party, and

• (b) has no interest adverse to that of the protected party.

• (2) An application for the appointment of a person under section 17 of the CCM as a litigation friend must be made in accordance with rule 105.

• (3) The application must be made by—

• (a) the person who wishes to be appointed as the litigation friend, or

• (b) a person who seeks the appointment of another person as a litigation friend for the protected party.

• (4) The application must be accompanied by a certificate of suitability given in writing in the form set out in Form 1.

• (5) The certificate in Form 1 must be signed and dated by the person who wishes to be appointed as the litigation friend and must be verified by a statement of truth made by that person.

• (6) The President of Tribunals may determine the application without a hearing.

• (7) Having determined the application, the President must give written notice of the determination to—

• (a) the protected party, and

• (b) the person wishing to be appointed.

• (8) Where a person is appointed as a litigation friend after the complaint is made, the person appointed must give a copy of the order making the appointment to—

• (a) the respondent, and

• (b) the responsible bishop.

• (9) In the case of a complaint of serious misconduct which has been referred to a tribunal or court, references in this Part to the President of Tribunals are to be read as references to the Chair of that tribunal or court.

Litigation friend: removal

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• (1) The President of Tribunals may by order—

• (a) direct that a person may not act as a litigation friend,

• (b) terminate the appointment of a litigation friend. or

• (c) appoint a new litigation friend to replace an existing one.

• (2) An application for an order under this rule—

• (a) must be made in accordance with rule 105, and

• (b) must be supported by evidence.

• (3) A person may not be appointed under paragraph (1)(c) unless the President of Tribunals is satisfied that the person meets the conditions set out in rule 5(1)(a) or (b).

Litigation friend: change of circumstances

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• (1) Where a child for whom a litigation friend is acting on a complaint reaches the age of 18 before the complaint has been concluded, the appointment of the litigation friend continues unless and until the order of appointment is discharged (see paragraph (3)).

• (2) Where a person who lacks capacity to make a complaint or to participate in proceedings on the complaint and for whom a litigation friend is acting ceases to lack capacity before the complaint has been concluded, the appointment of the litigation friend continues unless and until the order of appointment is discharged (see paragraph (3)).

• (3) In a case within paragraph (1) or (2), the protected party or the litigation friend may apply to the President of Tribunals for the discharge of the order of appointment of the litigation friend.

• (4) An application under paragraph (3)—

• (a) must be made in accordance with rule 105, and

• (b) must be supported by evidence.

• (5) Where a person appointed as a litigation friend on a complaint dies before the complaint has been concluded, the proceedings on the complaint are stayed until the President of Tribunals appoints a new litigation friend.

• (6) Where the complainant or the respondent loses capacity to participate in proceedings on the complaint, no step may be taken in the proceedings until a litigation friend is appointed for the person unless, pending the appointment, the President of Tribunals gives permission for that step to be taken.

Service on litigation friend

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• (1) This rule applies in relation to a document that is required or authorised to be given to a protected person under the CCM or these Rules.

• (2) The document—

• (a) must, if it is given, be given to the protected person’s litigation friend, and

• (b) may also be given to the protected person.

• (3) If a document is given to the protected person’s litigation friend under paragraph (2)(a), it is treated for the purposes of the CCM and these Rules as being given to the protected person (whether or not it is also given to the protected person).

Part 4 — MAKING A COMPLAINT

Complaint form: main information

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• (1) A complaint must be made in writing in the form set out in Form 2.

• (2) The complaint form must specify—

• (a) the responsible bishop,

• (b) the complainant’s full name, postal address, telephone number and email address,

• (c) the name of the person against whom the complaint is made and (if the complainant knows it) the office or other position currently held by that person,

• (d) the basis on which the complainant has a proper interest in the complaint (see section 15 of the CCM),

• (e) in summary form, the nature and details of the alleged conduct,

• (f) the date on which, or the period within which, the alleged conduct took place,

• (g) the relevant events in chronological sequence,

• (h) an indication of whether, in the complainant’s view, the complaint amounts to a grievance, misconduct or serious misconduct, and

• (i) if the complainant’s view is that the complaint amounts to a grievance, an indication of the resolution sought.

• (3) If the complaint is made after the end of the limitation period under section 19 (2) of the CCM (where that period is applicable), the complaint form must also give the reasons why the complaint was not made before the end of that period.

• (4) The complainant may attach to the complaint form documents that are relevant to the complaint.

• (5) The complaint form must be signed and dated by the complainant and must be verified by a statement of truth made by the complainant.

Complaint form: additional information

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• (1) If the complainant is a person who has a proper interest in the complaint by virtue of a nomination under section 15 (2) (a) (ii), (4) (a) or (5) (a) of the CCM (nomination by a PCC or the bishop’s council of a diocese), the complaint form must be accompanied by a copy of the resolution making the nomination.

• (2) If the complainant is an archdeacon who has a proper interest in the complaint by virtue of a nomination under section 15 (6) of the CCM, the complaint form must be accompanied by a copy of the instrument making the nomination.

• (3) If the complainant is a person appointed by the President of Tribunals as a litigation friend under section 17 of the CCM, the complaint form must be accompanied by a copy of the order of the President making the appointment.

• (4) If the complainant is a person who is subject to a restraint order under section 32 of the CCM, the complaint form must be accompanied by a copy of the permission given by the President of Tribunals under section 32 (2) (a) or (b) of the CCM.

Complaint about exercise of function conferred by or under the CCM

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• (1) This rule applies to an application to the President of Tribunals under section 16 (10) of the CCM for permission to make a complaint about the exercise of a function conferred by or under the CCM.

• (2) The application must be made in accordance with rule 105.