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The Government has launched a consultation on draft regulations that would change who can perform high-risk cosmetic and wellbeing procedures in England, and how providers offering them are regulated.
Published on 21 October 2026, the proposals would restrict cosmetic surgery, including liquid Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs), to doctors. In addition, specified high-risk non-surgical treatments would be limited to doctors, dentists and independent prescribing nurses, midwives and pharmacists.
Providers offering these procedures would also need to register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Announcing the proposals, health minister Karin Smyth said the Government wanted to raise standards and help people identify safe, qualified providers they could trust.
The consultation builds on the Government’s August 2025 response to its earlier consultation on non-surgical cosmetic procedures. These are proposals, and the new restrictions are not yet in force.
The draft regulations would create separate CQC-regulated activities for cosmetic surgery and specified non-surgical cosmetic and wellbeing procedures.
Filler injections into any part of the body other than the face would be classified as cosmetic surgical procedures. This would bring liquid BBLs within the proposed doctors-only restriction, rather than introduce an outright ban on the treatment.
The high-risk non-surgical procedures covered would include:
The laser and IPL proposals cover particular applications, including certain ablative treatments, lasers introduced through a puncture or incision, and laser or IPL used on the eyelid or within the periorbital rim. They do not place every laser or IPL treatment within this high-risk category.
Practitioners should check the definitions in the full consultation document against the procedures they offer.
Under the proposals, the specified non-surgical procedures could only be performed by doctors, dentists and independent prescribing nurses, midwives and pharmacists.
For nurses, midwives and pharmacists, professional registration alone would not meet the proposed requirements. Independent prescribing status would also be needed. The Government says this reflects the importance of access to prescription medicines during treatment and when managing complications.
Belonging to an eligible professional group would not automatically mean a practitioner was competent to perform every procedure. Practitioners would still need to work within their individual training, experience and scope of practice.
Providers would need CQC registration for the relevant regulated activity. Existing registration should therefore not be assumed to cover the proposed new activities automatically.
The proposals would restrict cosmetic surgery and the specified high-risk procedures to people aged 18 and over, with exceptions for NHS provision or treatment of a medical condition by a healthcare professional. Existing legislation on botulinum toxin and cosmetic fillers for under-18s would continue to apply where relevant.
The CQC would oversee enforcement. Allowing an ineligible practitioner to perform a covered procedure, or breaching the proposed age restrictions, could result in prosecution and an unlimited fine. Alternative fixed penalties would be £4,000 for service providers and £2,000 for registered managers for these proposed offences.
Carrying on a regulated activity without the necessary CQC registration could also lead to a fine, imprisonment or both.
This consultation focuses on the highest-risk procedures. It is separate from the planned licensing scheme for lower-risk non-surgical cosmetic treatments, such as botulinum toxin and resorbable facial fillers.
The Government has prioritised high-risk procedures and remains committed to the wider licensing scheme. Practitioners should not interpret this announcement as the launch of that scheme.
For background on how the proposals have developed, read our Road to regulation guide. Our UK aesthetics licensing road map: England vs Scotland also explains why practitioners need to follow developments in each jurisdiction separately. This consultation applies to England.
The announcement follows continued scrutiny of gaps in patient protection, explored in our coverage of concerns about Government delays on high-risk cosmetic procedures.
The consultation closes at 11.59pm on 13 January 2027. Practitioners, clinic owners, patients and other interested parties can respond through the online survey.
The Government will consider responses before finalising its policy and regulations. Its announcement says the parliamentary process is currently planned for spring 2027. A transition period would allow providers to apply for CQC registration before the restrictions take effect. The commencement date has not been finalised.
For practitioners and clinic owners, this is an opportunity to review how the proposals could affect treatments, staffing and premises, and to explain any practical concerns through the consultation.
Check your treatment list against the proposed definitions, review professional and prescribing qualifications, and consider whether your business would need registration for a new regulated activity. Continue to meet the legal and professional obligations that already apply.
Hamilton Fraser has long supported efforts to raise standards in aesthetics. Our founder and CEO, Eddie Hooker, has been a trustee of the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP) since its formation in 2017. You can read the JCCP’s response here.
As your practice develops, make sure your insurance reflects the treatments you perform. Speak to our team on 0800 63 43 881 to review your cover, and visit our Content Hub for more regulation updates and practical guidance.
