England: government plans tighter rules on cosmetic procedures, with penalties for those who break the law

The UK government has announced plans to tighten the rules on cosmetic procedures in England. The aim is to protect patients from complications after treatments carried out by people without proper qualifications. According to the BBC News description of 20 October 2026, the new rules will restrict who can carry out procedures and bring fines for those who flout the law, taking effect in 2027.

What the government plans

According to a Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) statement, the highest-risk procedures, such as non-surgical Brazilian butt lifts, will only be allowed to be carried out by qualified healthcare professionals. They will have to work in providers registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the health and care regulator.

Lower-risk treatments, including Botox, lip fillers and facial dermal fillers, are to come under a new licensing system run by local authorities. Practitioners will need to meet safety, training and insurance standards.

Those who break the rules on the highest-risk procedures are to face CQC enforcement and financial penalties. The government also plans restrictions for under-18s: serious cosmetic procedures would only be available to them if authorised by a healthcare professional.

Why the change

The government points to cases of complications, permanent scarring and even death after treatments given by people with little or no medical training. Such procedures are sometimes carried out in homes, hotels and pop-up clinics. It also stresses that fixing botched procedures costs the NHS money.

Health minister Karin Smyth said in the statement that the aim is not to stop people having treatments, but to protect them from rogue operators.

The highest-risk procedures are to be regulated first, for example fillers injected into the breasts and genitals. The detailed rules are to be subject to public consultation and parliamentary scrutiny before they are introduced.

What this means for Poles in the UK

The changes apply to England and to everyone who has cosmetic treatments there, including Poles. Until the rules take effect, the government advises checking the practitioner's qualifications and insurance and avoiding suspiciously cheap offers. This also concerns people who run beauty salons or carry out aesthetic treatments professionally: in future they may need a licence or specific qualifications, depending on the type of procedure. The final requirements will depend on regulations that have yet to be drawn up.