What the official source says
The SMS manual was updated on 5 October 2026 to clarify that Level 2 access ends after 8 March 2027. This follows the closure of new Level 2 appointments from 9 September 2026.
Education sponsors should identify the people and tasks affected and arrange a reviewed transition. The change is relevant to continuity of CAS and reporting activity; simply waiting for an account to stop working would leave avoidable operational uncertainty.
Suggested sponsor action
- Inventory current users and identify any remaining Level 2 accounts.
- Review the need and suitability for Level 1 access through the authorised process.
- Confirm MFA and authorised cover before the transition deadline.
Primary sources & review
- SMS manual 1: introduction and managing user accessPublisher update: 5 October 2026 · Checked 4 November 2026
- SMS manual 13: multi-factor authenticationPublisher update: 2 October 2026 · Checked 4 November 2026
Sources checked on 4 November 2026. Open the current official text before making a report or decision. Working suggestions on this page are internal control recommendations unless expressly identified as an official requirement.