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.
(3 Oct 2026)
Past
| Diocese | Acting Bishop | from | to | notes | |
| Durham | Sarah Clark | Bishop of Jarrow | 1 Mar 2024 | 17 Apr 2026 | |
| Ely | Dagmar Winter | Bishop of Huntingdon | 20 July 2023 | 17 Apr 2026 | |
| St Albans | Richard Atkinson | Bishop of Bedford | 1 June 2025 | 9 June 2026 |
Current
| Diocese | Acting Bishop | from | to | notes | |
| Bristol | Neil Warwick | Bishop of Swindon | 2 Sept 2025 | ||
| Chichester | Will Hazlewood | Bishop of Lewes | 1 June 2026 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 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 was suspended and later resigned | |
| Liverpool | Ruth Worsley | Bishop of Wigan | May 2025 | ||
| London | Emma Ineson | Bishop of Kensington | 28 Jan 2026 | ||
| Oxford | Gavin Collins | Bishop of Dorchester | July 2026 | ||
| Salisbury | Karen Gorham | Bishop of Sherborne | 10 Apr 2026 | diocesan bishop steppped back and was later suspended | |
| Southwark | Rosemarie Mallett | Bishop of Croydon | 5 Aug 2026 | ||
| Lichfield | Sarah Bullock | Bishop of Shrewsbury | 1 Oct 2026 |
Future
| Diocese | Acting Bishop | from | to | notes | |
| Manchester | 1 Aug 2027 |
Peter Owen
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