New Family Procedure Rules introduce expert evidence reforms from 20 July 2026
Changes to the Family Procedure Rules have come into force, introducing new requirements for expert evidence in certain children proceedings and making several other procedural amendments across the family justice system.
The Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2026 took effect on 20 July 2026, updating the Family Procedure Rules 2010. The amendments were approved by the Family Procedure Rule Committee and are published by the Ministry of Justice.
Among the most significant changes is the introduction of a new rule, rule 25.5A, which requires expert evidence in specified children proceedings to be provided by a regulated expert, unless one of the defined exceptions applies. The amendments also introduce new definitions for both “regulated expert” and “technical expert” through changes to rule 25.2, providing greater clarity about the categories of professionals who may give evidence in these cases.
The new rules also include transitional arrangements. Proceedings that were issued before the amendments came into force will continue under the previous framework, meaning the new expert evidence requirements will not apply retrospectively.
In addition, the amendments insert rule 9.47, allowing provision to be made in a Practice Direction for the court to grant permission to communicate information from proceedings in specified circumstances.
Alongside the rule changes, updated Practice Directions have also been introduced. Practice Direction 25B now requires experts in relevant children proceedings to confirm and provide evidence of their regulated status both when they receive instructions and within their expert reports. Practice Direction 25C requires parties to address whether an expert is regulated and, where they rely on an exception, explain why no regulated expert is available. These Practice Direction amendments also came into force on 20 July 2026.
Other Practice Direction updates published during 2026 include amendments to pilot schemes covering private law reform, family mediation, online procedures and the electronic notification of certain non-molestation orders to the police. In particular, the procedural framework supporting the sharing of some non-molestation orders with police has been extended until 13 July 2027 under amendments to Practice Direction 36ZI.
The Ministry of Justice’s Family Procedure Rules website confirms that these updates form part of the latest revisions to family court procedure, with the page most recently updated on 13 July 2026. The changes are intended to clarify procedural requirements and support the operation of family proceedings under the revised rules.