During a vacancy in see, another bishop is appointed acting bishop of the diocese. This is usually, but not always, a suffragan from the diocese in question.
Also, there are are occasions when the diocesan bishop, whilst still in office, is unable to act, and an acting bishop is appointed
This is a list of these acting bishops.
(18 Apr 2026)
Past
| Diocese | Acting Bishop | from | to | notes | |
| Ely | Dagmar Winter | Bishop of Huntingdon | 20 July 2023 | 17 Apr 2026 |
Current
| Diocese | Acting Bishop | from | to | notes | |
| Bristol | Neil Warwick | Bishop of Swindon | 2 Sept 2025 | ||
| Derby | Malcolm Macnaughton | Bishop of Repton | 17 Apr 2026 | 30 Apr 2026 | diocesan bishop on sick leave |
| Jackie Searle | former Bishop of Crediton | 1 May 2026 | |||
| Durham | Sarah Clark | Bishop of Jarrow | 1 Mar 2024 | ||
| Guildford | Paul Davies | Bishop of Dorking | 18 Feb 2026 | ||
| Leeds | Toby Howarth | Bishop of Bradford | 1 Dec 2025 | ||
| Lincoln | Nicholas Chamberlain | Bishop of Grantham | 20 Feb 2026 | diocesan bishop suspended | |
| Liverpool | Ruth Worsley | Bishop of Wigan | May 2025 | ||
| London | Emma Ineson | Bishop of Kensington | 28 Jan 2026 | ||
| Salisbury | Karen Gorham | Bishop of Sherborne | 10 Apr 2026 | diocesan bishop steppped back | |
| St Albans | Richard Atkinson | Bishop of Bedford | 1 June 2025 |
Future
| Diocese | Acting Bishop | from | to | notes | |
| Chichester | Will Hazlewood | Bishop of Lewes | 1 June 2026 | ||
| Lichfield | 1 Oct 2026 | ||||
| Manchester | 1 Aug 2027 | ||||
| Oxford | Gavin Collins | Bishop of Dorchester | July 2026 | ||
| Southwark | Rosemarie Mallett | Bishop of Croydon | 5 Aug 2026 |
Peter Owen
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