Research England have modified their proposals in two key areas, accourding to their latest communication

Longform now no longer to be included. After suggesting in their consultation document that Open Access rules would be applied to books and book chapters for REF 2029, they have bowed to pressure and agreed ‘the broad set of challenges currently facing the sector’ make this impractical for now.

The 2021 regulations for articles and conference papers (that have found a home on a ‘Proceedings’ with an ISSN) will continue to apply till Jan 2026 now, not 2025. Promised tightening of allowances in the draft 2029 regulations re: embargoes applied by journal publishers, won’t have to be dealt with till then.