# The ICO became the Information Commission on 30 September 2026

A board replaced a single commissioner at the top of the UK regulator, and its powers, its work and the ICO name carried on.

The Assurance Desk, news. Published 29 September 2026. Updated 7 October 2026.

The UK's Information Commissioner's Office became the Information Commission on 30 September 2026. The change is to how the regulator is governed, and its functions and responsibilities stay the same. It is still known as the ICO ([the ICO, 30 September 2026](https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2026/09/ico-welcomes-transition-to-new-information-commission-and-marks-new-chapter-with-manchester-head-office-opening/) and [the ICO, 15 September 2026, updated 17 September 2026](https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2026/09/ico-governance-changes-confirmed-for-30-september-2026/), checked 2 October 2026).

## What happened on 30 September 2026?

UK regulations made on 10 September 2026 set the date. On 30 September 2026, the office of Information Commissioner was abolished, and all of its functions passed to the Information Commission, under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 ([S.I. 2026/1015](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/1015/made), [section 118](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/18/section/118) and [section 119](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/18/section/119/enacted), checked 2 October 2026).

The Commission itself is not new. It was set up in law on 20 August 2025. It had no operational activity up to 31 March 2026. In that time, the Information Commissioner continued to use the powers and carry out the duties and functions that passed to the Commission ([Information Commission annual report 2025 to 2026](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/information-commission-annual-report-and-accounts-2025-to-2026), checked 29 September 2026).

**Key dates for the Information Commission**

- 19 June 2025, UK: The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 became law.
- 20 August 2025, UK: The Commission was set up in law. The Commissioner became its first chair.
- 15 July 2026, UK: The Government announced seven non-executive members. The search for a chair began.
- 10 September 2026, UK: UK regulations set the date of the change.
- 30 September 2026, UK: The office of Information Commissioner ended. Its functions passed to the Commission.

The steps from a single commissioner to a commission, in the UK.

Source: Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, introductory text, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/18/introduction/enacted (checked 29 September 2026); S.I. 2025/904, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/904/made (checked 29 September 2026); Information Commission annual report 2025 to 2026, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/information-commission-annual-report-and-accounts-2025-to-2026 (checked 29 September 2026); GOV.UK, 15 July 2026, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/seven-non-executive-members-appointed-to-information-commission-board-as-chair-recruitment-launches (checked 29 September 2026); S.I. 2026/1015, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/1015/made (checked 29 September 2026)

## What changes for organisations, and what stays the same?

The regulator's work carries on. Anything done by or in relation to the Information Commissioner carries over to the Commission. So does anything still in progress, including legal proceedings ([S.I. 2026/1015, regulation 3](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/1015/made), checked 29 September 2026).

UK law also covers documents that name the old office. Laws and other documents that name the Information Commissioner are read as naming the Commission, so far as appropriate ([Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, section 119](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/18/section/119/enacted), checked 29 September 2026).

From 30 September 2026, the data protection fee is paid to the Information Commission. UK regulations made on 26 March 2026 made this change. They also renamed the regulator in other UK laws, including the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Network and Information Systems Regulations 2018. These changes started when section 119 of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 came into force, on 30 September 2026 ([S.I. 2026/386, regulation 1(2)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/386/made), with [S.I. 2026/1015, regulation 2](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/1015/made), checked 2 October 2026).

**What changes, and what stays**

- **Changes**
  - The office of Information Commissioner ended
  - A board leads the regulator, in place of one person
  - UK laws name the Information Commission
- **Stays the same**
  - All of the regulator's functions
  - Work in progress, including legal proceedings
  - Still known as the ICO

UK law changes how the regulator is governed, and its work carries on.

Source: S.I. 2026/1015, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/1015/made (checked 29 September 2026); S.I. 2026/386, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/386/made (checked 29 September 2026); Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, section 119, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/18/section/119/enacted (checked 29 September 2026); GOV.UK factsheet on the Act, 27 June 2025, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/data-use-and-access-act-2025-factsheets/data-use-and-access-act-factsheet-ico (checked 29 September 2026); The ICO, 15 September 2026, updated 17 September 2026, https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2026/09/ico-governance-changes-confirmed-for-30-september-2026/ (checked 29 September 2026)

> "Throughout this period we remain focused on ensuring a smooth transition and continuity of service for all our customers and stakeholders."
> ICO, Governance announcement
> The ICO, on the move to the Information Commission, 15 September 2026, https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2026/09/ico-governance-changes-confirmed-for-30-september-2026/ (checked 29 September 2026)

## Who runs the Information Commission?

A board, in place of one person. The Government says the Commission will be led by a chair, a chief executive and other members, who share responsibility for decisions. It also says the chair will keep the title of Information Commissioner ([GOV.UK factsheet on the Act, 27 June 2025](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/data-use-and-access-act-2025-factsheets/data-use-and-access-act-factsheet-ico), checked 29 September 2026).

The Commission has no permanent chair yet. Its board appointed Maggie Carver as Deputy Chair on 30 September 2026, and she carries out the chair's responsibilities until a chair is appointed. The ICO expects the UK government to finish recruiting the chair in spring 2027 ([the ICO, 30 September 2026](https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2026/09/ico-welcomes-transition-to-new-information-commission-and-marks-new-chapter-with-manchester-head-office-opening/), checked 2 October 2026). Applications closed on 14 September 2026, and the preferred candidate will have a hearing before a parliamentary committee ([GOV.UK, Information Commission Chair](https://apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/roles/9276), checked 29 September 2026).

John Edwards, then Information Commissioner, became the Commission's first chair in August 2025. He resigned from both roles on 19 June 2026 ([Information Commission annual report 2025 to 2026](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/information-commission-annual-report-and-accounts-2025-to-2026), checked 29 September 2026).

UK law sets the size of the board at between 3 and 14 members. Non-executive members must outnumber executive members, so far as practicable ([Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, Schedule 14](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/18/schedule/14/enacted), checked 29 September 2026).

Seven non-executive members took up their roles on 30 September 2026 ([the ICO, 30 September 2026](https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2026/09/ico-welcomes-transition-to-new-information-commission-and-marks-new-chapter-with-manchester-head-office-opening/), checked 2 October 2026). They are Laurie Benson, Maggie Carver, Stephen Cohen, Sukhvinder Kaur-Stubbs, Gary Kildare, Hilary Newiss and Scott McPherson ([GOV.UK, 15 July 2026](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/seven-non-executive-members-appointed-to-information-commission-board-as-chair-recruitment-launches), checked 29 September 2026).

Paul Arnold leads the Commission as its Chief Executive ([the ICO, 30 September 2026](https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2026/09/ico-welcomes-transition-to-new-information-commission-and-marks-new-chapter-with-manchester-head-office-opening/), checked 2 October 2026).

Steve Wood, who was Deputy Information Commissioner for six years, marked the day on LinkedIn with a note about his old job: “Deputy Commissioners are no more” ([Steve Wood on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/steve-wood-68b7683_a-minor-footnote-to-todays-transition-to-activity-7511097547822649344-FHxh) and [Oxford Internet Institute, Steve Wood](https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/people/profiles/steve-wood/), checked 5 October 2026).

> "A minor footnote to today's transition to the new UK Information Commission: Deputy Commissioners are no more."
> Steve Wood, LinkedIn post excerpt
> Steve Wood, LinkedIn post on the Information Commission, 30 September 2026, https://www.linkedin.com/posts/steve-wood-68b7683_a-minor-footnote-to-todays-transition-to-activity-7511097547822649344-FHxh (checked 7 October 2026)
> [View LinkedIn post](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/steve-wood-68b7683_a-minor-footnote-to-todays-transition-to-activity-7511097547822649344-FHxh)

## Read next

- [Data protection: the section](https://theassurancedesk.com/data-protection)
- [Do you need a data protection officer? UK GDPR sets three tests](https://theassurancedesk.com/guides/do-you-need-a-dpo)
- [After a breach or ICO contact](https://theassurancedesk.com/best/post-breach)
- [After a ransomware or security incident](https://theassurancedesk.com/best/security-incident)

## Sources

- The ICO: ICO governance changes confirmed for 30 September 2026: https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2026/09/ico-governance-changes-confirmed-for-30-september-2026/ (checked 2 October 2026)
- S.I. 2026/1015, the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Commencement No. 9 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2026: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/1015/made (checked 2 October 2026)
- S.I. 2026/386, the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/386/made (checked 2 October 2026)
- Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, section 119: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/18/section/119/enacted (checked 2 October 2026)
- Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, Schedule 14: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/18/schedule/14/enacted (checked 29 September 2026)
- Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, introductory text: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/18/introduction/enacted (checked 29 September 2026)
- S.I. 2025/904, Commencement No. 1 Regulations: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/904/made (checked 29 September 2026)
- Information Commission annual report and accounts 2025 to 2026: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/information-commission-annual-report-and-accounts-2025-to-2026 (checked 29 September 2026)
- GOV.UK: seven non-executive members appointed to the Information Commission Board: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/seven-non-executive-members-appointed-to-information-commission-board-as-chair-recruitment-launches (checked 29 September 2026)
- GOV.UK: Data (Use and Access) Act factsheet on the ICO, 27 June 2025: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/data-use-and-access-act-2025-factsheets/data-use-and-access-act-factsheet-ico (checked 29 September 2026)
- GOV.UK: Information Commission Chair, public appointment: https://apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/roles/9276 (checked 29 September 2026)
- The ICO: ICO welcomes transition to new Information Commission, 30 September 2026: https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2026/09/ico-welcomes-transition-to-new-information-commission-and-marks-new-chapter-with-manchester-head-office-opening/ (checked 2 October 2026)
- Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, section 118: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/18/section/118 (checked 2 October 2026)
- Steve Wood on LinkedIn, 30 September 2026: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/steve-wood-68b7683_a-minor-footnote-to-todays-transition-to-activity-7511097547822649344-FHxh (checked 5 October 2026)
- Oxford Internet Institute, Steve Wood: https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/people/profiles/steve-wood/ (checked 5 October 2026)

This is an independent editorial guide, not legal advice.

---

**Who publishes this.** The Assurance Desk is published by Add-Venture Advisory Ltd, company number 11854524, registered in England and Wales. The same owner runs Avouch, a marketing agency that sells AI visibility services to firms of the kind this site covers. That is a conflict of interest, and it is disclosed here.