The new subscription law for clubs and memberships, in plain English
Annual memberships that renew on the anniversary, family bundles, co-working passes and loyalty clubs all charge the member unless they act. From 1 January 2027 a new UK law covers all of them, and it is strictest about annual renewals. You will have to email members before every renewal, give them 14 days to change their mind each time it renews, and let anyone who joined online cancel online in one step. We plug into Stripe and do it for you.
Your typical plans and what the law asks for each
| Plan | What the law asks for |
|---|---|
| Annual membership, renews on the anniversary | A change of mind period when they join. A reminder before every annual renewal (30 days before is common). A fresh 14 day change of mind period, with its own email, every time it renews. |
| Monthly membership, cancel any time | A change of mind period and email when they join. Then a payment reminder at least once every six months. |
| Family membership with linked individual accounts | The individual accounts are tied to the family membership. Cancelling it inside a change of mind period ends them too, and the refund covers the whole bundle. |
| Co-working pass, 3 month minimum then rolling | The total for the three months must be on the join page. A change of mind period when they join, then the six monthly reminders once rolling. |
What we do for your club
We connect to Stripe and read your plans and members. It reminds members before every renewal, in the window you promised when they joined. It gives members a cancel page that works like the join page, one step, no phone call or letter. And it keeps a record of every email, click and refund, so if the regulator asks you have the answer.
When a member lets a renewal go through and then changes their mind within 14 days, we work out the refund less the days used and show you the sum before anything is paid back.
Every anniversary renewal needs a reminder
Plans billed every six months or less often need a reminder before every renewal payment. For an annual membership that means one email each year, sent a reasonable time before the last day the member can cancel to avoid the charge, and within the notice you promised when they joined. It must say the amount, the date, the last day to cancel and how.
Because the renewal signs the member up for another 12 months, it also opens a 14 day change of mind period. A member who lets the renewal happen can still cancel in those 14 days and get the year back, less the days used. See long term renewals.
Charities
Some charitable memberships are not covered: broadly those that give access to performances, collections or places as part of a charitable purpose. A museum or heritage membership may be excluded. A charity's commercial gym or shop subscription will not be. Decide product by product and record the reason. See who the law covers.
Family bundles and linked accounts
A family membership is one contract with several linked accounts. If the lead member cancels inside a change of mind period, the linked accounts end too and the refund covers the whole bundle. Outside that period your terms decide, but the cancellation confirmation should say what happens to the other accounts.
Direct debit members
Members paying by direct debit have the same rights. The reminder must arrive before the last day to cancel the membership, not just before the money is collected, and the online cancel page must end the membership itself, not only the direct debit. We connect to Stripe and GoCardless read-only today. See what we work with.
Worked example: annual club membership, £120, joined 1 February 2027
Change of mind email on 1 February 2027, period to 15 February. Renewal on 1 February 2028: with 30 days notice promised, the reminder is sent from 2 January 2028 and no later than 29 January 2028, saying £120, the date, that the member can cancel until 1 February to avoid it, and how.
When it renews, a second change of mind period runs 1 to 15 February 2028 with its own email. A member who cancels on 10 February 2028 gets £120 back less nine days of the year, within 14 days.
Questions
- We send a renewal letter in the post. Does that count?
- A letter is in writing, so it can carry the reminder, provided it arrives a reasonable time before the deadline and says what the law requires. Email is simpler to prove. We send email and record delivery.
- Can members cancel after the renewal has been taken?
- Yes, within the 14 day change of mind period that opens when a membership renews for another 12 months, with a refund less the time used.
- Is our members' club covered by the charity exclusion?
- Only if the membership gives access to performances, collections or places as part of a charitable purpose. Record the decision and the reason for each product.
- Our members join by paper form at events. Do they need an online cancel page?
- The online cancel route is required where the member joined online. Members who joined on paper may cancel the way they joined, but every member gets the reminders, the change of mind period and the confirmation.
This page explains the law in plain English. It is not legal advice. The detailed rules are still being finalised by the government.