UKPGA-2025-4 — Arbitration Act 2025

preamble

Be it enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

s. 1 — Law applicable to arbitration agreement

s. 1(1)

The Arbitration Act 1996 is amended as follows.

s. 1(2)

After section 6 insert—

s. 1(3)

In section 2 (scope of application of provisions), in subsection (2) after the opening words insert— .

s. 2 — Impartiality: duty of disclosure

s. 2(1)

The Arbitration Act 1996 is amended as follows.

s. 2(2)

After section 23 insert—

s. 2(3)

In Schedule 1 (mandatory provisions), after the entry for section 13, insert— .

s. 3 — Immunity of arbitrator: application for removal

s. 3(1)

The Arbitration Act 1996 is amended as follows.

s. 3(2)

In section 24 (power of court to remove arbitrator), after subsection (5) insert—

s. 3(3)

In section 29(1) (general immunity of arbitrator), at the end insert “(and see section 24(5A) (immunity in respect of costs of proceedings for removal))”.

s. 4 — Immunity of arbitrator: resignation

s. 4(1)

The Arbitration Act 1996 is amended as follows.

s. 4(2)

In section 25 (resignation of arbitrator)—

s. 4(2)(a)

in subsection (1), omit paragraph (b) (together with the “and” before it);

s. 4(2)(b)

for subsections (3) and (4) substitute— ;

s. 4(2)(c)

in the heading, at the end insert “: entitlement to fees or expenses”.

s. 4(3)

In section 29 (immunity of arbitrator)—

s. 4(3)(a)

omit subsection (3);

s. 4(3)(b)

at the end insert—

s. 4(4)

In the following provisions, for “25(3)(b)” substitute “25(3)”—

s. 4(4)(a)

section 28(4) (joint and several liability of parties to arbitrators for fees and expenses);

s. 4(4)(b)

section 64(3) (recoverable fees and expenses of arbitrators);

s. 4(4)(c)

paragraphs 3(2) and 10(2) of Schedule 2 (modifications in relation to judge-arbitrators).

s. 5 — Court determination of jurisdiction of tribunal

In section 32 of the Arbitration Act 1996 (determination of preliminary point of jurisdiction), after subsection (1) insert—

s. 6 — Power to award costs despite no substantive jurisdiction

s. 6(1)

Section 61 of the Arbitration Act 1996 (award of costs) is amended as follows.

s. 6(2)

In subsection (1), omit “, subject to any agreement of the parties”.

s. 6(3)

After subsection (1) insert—

s. 6(4)

In subsection (2), omit “Unless the parties otherwise agree,”.

s. 6(5)

After subsection (2) insert—

s. 7 — Power to make award on summary basis

After section 39 of the Arbitration Act 1996 insert—

s. 8 — Emergency arbitrators

s. 8(1)

The Arbitration Act 1996 is amended as follows.

s. 8(2)

After section 41 insert—

s. 8(3)

In section 41(7) (peremptory orders of tribunal), in the opening words—

s. 8(3)(a)

after “peremptory order” insert “of the tribunal”;

s. 8(3)(b)

omit “tribunal’s”.

s. 8(4)

In section 42 (enforcement of peremptory orders of tribunal)—

s. 8(4)(a)

in subsection (1), at the end insert “or (as the case may be) the emergency arbitrator”;

s. 8(4)(b)

in subsection (2)(a) and (b), after “the tribunal” insert “or the emergency arbitrator”;

s. 8(4)(c)

in subsection (3), for “tribunal’s order” substitute “peremptory order”;

s. 8(4)(d)

in subsection (4), for “tribunal’s order” substitute “peremptory order”;

s. 8(4)(e)

in the heading, at the end insert “or emergency arbitrator”.

s. 8(5)

In section 44 (court powers exercisable in support of arbitral proceedings)—

s. 8(5)(a)

for subsection (4) substitute— ;

s. 8(5)(b)

in subsection (5), after “tribunal” insert “or the emergency arbitrator”;

s. 8(5)(c)

in subsection (6), after “tribunal” insert “, the emergency arbitrator”.

s. 8(6)

In section 82(1) (minor definitions)—

s. 8(6)(a)

after the definition of “dispute” insert— ;

s. 8(6)(b)

in the definition of “peremptory order”, after “section 41(5)” insert “or 41A(2),”.

s. 8(7)

In section 83 (index of defined expressions), after the entry for “dispute” insert— .

s. 9 — Court powers exercisable in support of arbitral proceedings in respect of third parties

s. 9(1)

Section 44 of the Arbitration Act 1996 (court powers exercisable in support of arbitral proceedings) is amended as follows.

s. 9(2)

In subsection (1), after “making orders” insert “(whether in relation to a party or any other person)”.

s. 9(3)

For subsection (7) substitute—

s. 10 — Challenging the award: remedies available to the court

s. 10(1)

Section 67 of the Arbitration Act 1996 (challenging the award: substantive jurisdiction) is amended as follows.

s. 10(2)

In subsection (1), for paragraph (b) substitute—

s. 10(3)

For subsection (3) substitute—

s. 11 — Procedure on challenge under section 67 of the Arbitration Act 1996

In section 67 of the Arbitration Act 1996 (challenging the award: substantive jurisdiction), after subsection (3A) (as inserted by section 10(3)) insert—

s. 12 — Challenging the award: time limit

s. 12(1)

Section 70 of the Arbitration Act 1996 (challenge or appeal: supplementary provisions) is amended as follows.

s. 12(2)

In subsection (3), for the words from “the date of the award” to the end substitute “the applicable date”.

s. 12(3)

After subsection (3) insert—

s. 12(4)

At the end insert—

s. 13 — Appeals to Court of Appeal from High Court decisions

s. 13(1)

In section 18(1) of the Senior Courts Act 1981 (restrictions on appeals to Court of Appeal), for paragraph (g) substitute— .

s. 13(2)

In section 35(2) of the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978 (appeals to Court of Appeal from High Court), for paragraph (fa) substitute— .

s. 13(3)

In Schedule 3 to the Arbitration Act 1996 (consequential amendments), omit paragraphs 34(2) and 37(2).

s. 14 — Requirements to be met for court to consider applications

s. 14(1)

The Arbitration Act 1996 is amended as follows.

s. 14(2)

In section 32 (determination by court of preliminary point of jurisdiction)—

s. 14(2)(a)

in subsection (2)(b), omit the words from “and the court” to the end;

s. 14(2)(b)

omit subsection (3);

s. 14(2)(c)

in subsection (5), for “the conditions specified in subsection (2) are” substitute “either condition specified in subsection (2) is”.

s. 14(3)

In section 45 (determination by court of preliminary point of law)—

s. 14(3)(a)

in subsection (2)(b), omit the words from “and the court” to the end;

s. 14(3)(b)

in subsection (3), omit the words from “and, unless” to the end;

s. 14(3)(c)

in subsection (5), for “the conditions specified in subsection (2) are” substitute “either condition specified in subsection (2) is”.

s. 15 — Repeal of provisions relating to domestic arbitration agreements

Omit the following provisions of the Arbitration Act 1996—

s. 15(a)

sections 85 to 87 (domestic arbitration agreements) (which are not in force), together with the italic heading before section 85, and

s. 15(b)

section 88 (power to repeal or amend sections 85 to 87).

s. 16 — Extent

s. 16(1)

Any amendment or repeal made by this Act has the same extent as the provision amended or repealed.

s. 16(2)

This section and sections 17 and 18 extend to England and Wales and to Northern Ireland.

s. 17 — Commencement and transitional provision

s. 17(1)

This section and sections 16 and 18 come into force on the day on which this Act is passed.

s. 17(2)

The rest of this Act comes into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by regulations appoint.

s. 17(3)

The Secretary of State may by regulations make transitional or saving provision in connection with the coming into force of any provision of this Act.

s. 17(4)

Subject to any transitional or saving provision made under subsection (3), an amendment made by sections 1 to 14—

s. 17(4)(a)

does not apply to—

s. 17(4)(a)(i)

arbitral proceedings commenced before the day on which the section making the amendment comes into force (“pre-commencement arbitral proceedings”),

s. 17(4)(a)(ii)

court proceedings (whenever commenced) in connection with pre-commencement arbitral proceedings or an award made in pre-commencement arbitral proceedings, or

s. 17(4)(a)(iii)

any other court proceedings commenced before the day on which the section making the amendment comes into force;

s. 17(4)(b)

otherwise applies in relation to an arbitration agreement whenever made.

s. 17(5)

A power to make regulations under this section includes power to make different provision for different purposes.

s. 17(6)

Regulations under this section are to be made by statutory instrument.

s. 17(7)

In this section “arbitration agreement” means an arbitration agreement within the meaning of section 6 of the Arbitration Act 1996 to which Part 1 of that Act applies (see section 5 of that Act).

s. 18 — Short title

This Act may be cited as the Arbitration Act 2025.

UKPGA-2025-4 Arbitration Act 2025 UK

Applicable law

The arbitral tribunal

Jurisdiction of tribunal

Arbitral proceedings and powers of the court

Powers of the court in relation to award

Appeals from High Court decisions

Miscellaneous minor amendments

Final provisions