UK Government announces plans to crack down on unsafe aesthetic procedures

By Rebecca Hitchon | 07 August 2025 | Movers & Shakers, News

The UK Government’s Department for Health and Social Care has revealed plans to regulate the aesthetic and non-invasive procedures sector.

It follows a consultation, which industry bodies including the British Beauty Council, NHBF and BABTAC contributed to, and its findings have helped shape the approach to addressing safety concerns in the aesthetics industry.

The government will introduce tiered, risk-focused measures, whereby:

Only qualified healthcare professionals, working in Care Quality Commission (CQC) registered providers, will be able to perform the highest risk procedures, such as non-surgical Brazilian Butt Lifts. Practitioners who do not comply will face CQC enforcement and financial penalties.
For lower risk procedures, such as Botox, lip fillers and facial dermal fillers, a licensing scheme will be introduced, operated and enforced by local authorities. Only qualified practitioners that meet high safety, training and insurance standards will be able to legally operate.
In order to protect young people, the Government will introduce age restrictions for under-18s on high-risk cosmetic procedures, with treatments only permitted when authorised by healthcare professionals. It also plans to implement measures to protect young people from dangerous social media beauty trends.

Following the announcement, there will be no immediate changes to current ways of working – but the Government has shared that it will work quickly to implement measures, prioritising regulations for the highest risk procedures first. A public consultation is due to be published early next year, and further consultations are planned to develop a comprehensive licensing regime.

Minister of State for Health, Karin Smyth, comments: “The cosmetics industry has been plagued by a Wild West of dodgy practitioners and procedures. There are countless horror stories of cosmetic cowboys causing serious, catastrophic damage.

“This Government is taking action to protect those seeking treatments, support honest and competent practitioners, and root out the cowboys as part of our Plan for Change.”

She continues: “This isn’t about stopping anyone from getting treatments – it’s about preventing rogue operators from exploiting people at the expense of their safety and keeping people safe. We’re giving them peace of mind and reducing the cost to the NHS of fixing botched procedures.”

Millie Kendall OBE

On the announcement, Millie Kendall OBE, CEO of the British Beauty Council, says: “I am pleased to hear of the Government’s commitment to regulating and licensing the aesthetics sector following its consultation.

“The Council is dedicated to ensuring that people can engage with beauty safely; people should be able to look and feel as they please without the threat of something going wrong. Any measures to protect this safety are highly welcomed, so that risks are mitigated at every stage of treatment or procedure.

“We will be working closely with the Government and the industry to ensure the outcomes of the consultation are implemented in a way that professionalises our industry and sustains growth.”

Caroline Larissey

Caroline Larissey, chief executive of the NHBF, notes: “We are pleased to see the Government taking decisive action to address safety concerns in our sector, and are looking forward to receiving further information on the implementation process.

“This represents a significant step forward in bringing clarity to the regulation of the aesthetics industry and protecting both practitioners and the public. We particularly welcome the tiered approach that recognises different risk levels across procedures, ensuring that legitimate, qualified practitioners can continue to operate, while addressing the serious safety concerns posed by unqualified operators.

“The NHBF will continue to work closely with the Government and industry partners to ensure the implementation supports professional practitioners, while maintaining the highest safety standards.”

Lesley Blair MBE

Lesley Blair MBE, CEO & chair of BABTAC and CIBTAC, adds: “We wholeheartedly welcome any legislation that aims to protect the safety of both the clients and reputable professionals within our industry.

“We believe that this decision will not only help to bring the clarity, protection and regulation that we have been campaigning for, for many years, but will reassure consumers navigating our industry. In recent years, the lack of regulation has meant that consumers have been exposed to unnecessary risk and danger when booking procedures of this nature, and we hope that what follows in legislation will help to mitigate those risks.”