Short answer. The draft Regulations give subscribers 14 days to change their mind after signing up, and a fresh 14 days when a free trial or discount turns into a full-price plan and when a yearly plan renews. Each period starts with a notice, sent on its own rather than combined with a reminder.
The two kinds of cooling-off period
At sign-up. The 14 days run from the day the subscription starts. The notice goes out when it begins.
At renewal. A new 14 days starts when a trial or discount converts to full price, and at every renewal of a yearly plan.
Worked example
Sign-up on 1 January 2027 on a yearly plan: the first cooling-off period ends on 15 January 2027. At the renewal on 1 January 2028 a new period starts and ends on 15 January 2028.
The calculator shows the end date next to each cooling-off notice.
Keep it separate
Reminders and cooling-off notices are never combined in one email. Put the key facts first and leave out marketing.
This page is general information based on draft Regulations. It is not legal advice.
Questions
When does the cooling-off period start?
At sign-up for a new subscription, and at the first full-price payment after a trial or discount. Yearly plans start a new period at each renewal.
Can I put the cooling-off notice in my welcome email?
The Act asks for the 14-day right in the key terms before sign-up, and for a separate notice when each renewal cooling-off period starts (section 266). A welcome email can repeat it, but it cannot replace either.
What do I owe if someone cancels in the cooling-off period?
That depends on the contract type and is one of the points still being settled in the draft. Check with an adviser.
Sources
- Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, subscription contracts provisions
- Draft Consumer Subscription Contracts (Cancellation and Information) Regulations 2026, laid 19 October 2026
- Government draft guidance on subscription contracts, October 2026
Not legal advice. If unsure, check with an adviser.