Tallybook

Guide · For everyone

CNIS register timeline: what has happened and what is next

The register became law in April 2026 and has not started. The next step is a government consultation on guidance and regulations.

Last checked 10 November 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.

What has happened

Date Event
2018 The Department for Education runs a call for evidence on home education.
2019 A consultation proposes a council register of children not in school.
February 2022 The government responds and commits to a register.
17 December 2024 The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill is published.
8 January 2025 The Bill has its second reading in the House of Commons.
29 April 2026 Royal Assent. The Bill becomes the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026.
30 April 2026 The Department for Education writes to home-educating parents about next steps.

What comes next

These steps come from the Department for Education's own description. None has a confirmed date.

  1. Consultation on draft statutory guidance and the content of regulations.
  2. Regulations made, most by a vote in Parliament.
  3. Final statutory guidance published.
  4. A preparation period for councils.
  5. The register comes into force.
  6. For the first three months, providers cannot be fined over a notice.

What the regulations will settle

  • how much time brings a provider into scope
  • the penalty for providers who do not answer
  • the extra information councils record
  • the form of the register

Numbers to know

England had 126,000 children in elective home education on census day in autumn 2025. A year earlier the figure was 111,700. The next official figures are due in winter 2026.

Outside England

  • Wales: the register provisions apply, on a timetable set by Welsh Ministers.
  • Scotland: no statutory register.
  • Northern Ireland: no statutory register.

Sources