Get WooCommerce Subscriptions ready for the UK subscription rules
From 1 January 2027 (the date in the draft Regulations now before Parliament), the subscription contracts regime in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA) is due to apply to new subscription contracts with UK consumers. Traders must send renewal reminder notices on a fixed schedule, give key pre-contract information, let customers end the contract easily and online, and honour new cooling-off periods. The CMA can now fine businesses directly, up to 10% of global turnover.
Renewal Notice UK is a WordPress plugin that handles the WooCommerce Subscriptions side for you. It also works with the free Subscriptions for WooCommerce plugin by WP Swings.
WooCommerce Subscriptions 6.9+ can email a reminder before every renewal. That has two problems:
- It over-reminds monthly subscribers. Twelve "you can cancel" emails a year means more churn.
- It sends only one notice for annual plans, but the Act requires an additional, earlier one.
Renewal Notice UK sends the notices the law requires, when it requires them: about two a year for monthly plans, and two before each annual renewal.
Download the free plugin (v0.2.0, zip) Pro
Install it via Plugins → Add New → Upload. The WordPress.org listing is pending review. It starts in log-only mode, so no customer is emailed until you switch it on.
What the rules require, and what the plugin does
| Requirement (DMCCA) | Renewal Notice UK |
|---|---|
| Reminder notices (s.258). For ordinary contracts: before the last renewal payment in each six-month period. Also before the first payment after a free trial or introductory price. | Checks active subscriptions every day and works out exactly which payments need a notice. Handles monthly, weekly, quarterly and annual billing, including 31st-of-month dates. |
| Timing and prominence (s.259). The notice must arrive within the advance period you stated, and the key facts must be the most prominent thing in it. | You set the advance period (e.g. 7 days before the last cancellation date). The renewal date, amount, frequency and last day to cancel come first, in a box on their own. |
| Additional notice for 12-month+ terms (s.259(6)–(8)). | Sends an extra early reminder (default 30 days) for annual renewals. |
| Easy online exit (s.260). Straightforward steps, with instructions where customers will look. | One-click "End or manage my subscription" link in every notice. Exit-instructions shortcode for your help page. Confirmation email when a customer cancels. |
| Key pre-contract information. | A key information box above the Place order button whenever the cart contains a subscription. |
| Evidence. Being able to show the CMA what you sent. | Every notice is written to the subscription notes with its date and legal basis. Pro exports them all to CSV. |
Status on 20 October 2026: the draft Consumer Subscription Contracts (Cancellation and Information) Regulations 2026 have been laid before Parliament with a 1 January 2027 start, and draft government guidance was published on 19 October 2026. Both can still change before they are final; Pro updates track the changes. Sources: DMCCA Part 4 Chapter 2, draft Regulations, draft guidance (GOV.UK). Plain-English guides: overview and dates, when reminders are due, reminder date calculator.
Pricing
Free
Statutory reminder schedule, 12-month+ early notice, checkout key info, exit confirmation, exit shortcode, evidence notes, log-only mode.
DownloadPro: 1 site
Everything in Free, plus:
- CSV evidence export
- Editable reminder subject and text
- Final courtesy reminder
- Updates when the regulations and CMA guidance land
- Email help with the shipped features
Pro: agency
Pro on unlimited client sites.
This is a one-off payment. It does not renew automatically. Paying by card or Apple Pay works from the UK and US: the checkout hands you to a regulated card provider (Transak, Rampnow, Coinbase or Stripe), which charges your card in your own currency and delivers USDC to us. The provider may ask you for a one-time ID check; that check is between you and the provider, and we never see your card or ID details. Provider fees are typically 3–8% and are shown before you pay. You can also send USDC on Base directly, or pay with Bitcoin Lightning. Paying from the EU or UK? Choose Pay from Strike or Kraken (Lightning). You get a Lightning invoice for the exact amount. Strike: tap Send or Pay, then scan or paste the invoice; it is paid from your EUR or GBP balance. Kraken: Withdraw, Bitcoin, Lightning network, then paste the invoice (not available in Germany). Any other Lightning wallet works too. No account with us, and we never see your bank or card details. Your licence key and Pro download appear on the order page as soon as the payment confirms. All sales final; digital goods delivered instantly. Try the free plugin first. Need an invoice? Email quietworklabs@outlook.com.
FAQ
Does every renewal get a reminder? No. Monthly subscribers get about two a year: before the last payment in each six-month period. Annual subscribers get two notices before each renewal. Trials and intro offers get a notice before the first full-price payment.
Which subscription plugins does it support? WooCommerce Subscriptions, and (from v0.2.0) the free Subscriptions for WooCommerce plugin by WP Swings, whose own renewal reminders are a paid feature.
Is this legal advice? No. It's a tool that follows the Act's schedule. Check your own terms and obligations.