The Serious Fraud Office announced on 13 October 2026 that it had strengthened its guidance for companies on self-reporting suspected fraud, bribery and corruption. The change creates a dedicated email address through which a corporate's legal representatives can discuss a potential self-report directly with Director of Legal Services and General Counsel Matthew Wagstaff before committing to a formal report.

Wagstaff announced the update at an event in London hosted by the American Bar Association. He was expected to say that a quicker, clearer route into negotiations for a deferred prosecution agreement serves everyone's interests and that the change reflects feedback from legal practitioners since the guidance was first revised in April 2025. The guidance commits that companies reporting promptly and cooperating fully will, barring exceptional circumstances, be invited to enter DPA negotiations, with SFO contact within 48 business hours of a self-report and a decision on opening an investigation within six months.

The updated guidance also clarifies that companies are expected to take a proportionate, risk-based approach to identifying the full extent of offending, and confirms that the six-month period for concluding DPA negotiations runs from acceptance of an invitation to negotiate.