Updated 10 July 2026.
Eleven months after the government confirmed its traffic-light licensing framework for non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England (August 2025), the promised consultation on red-tier procedures, the highest-risk category, has still not been published. It was slated for “early 2026” in the original announcement, revised to “spring 2026” in a November 2025 parliamentary answer, and in February the Women and Equalities Committee criticised the lack of progress while demanding an immediate ban on liquid BBLs.
Where the scheme stands
- In force today, nothing. There is still no licence and no statutory minimum qualification to practise aesthetics in England.
- The confirmed direction is two licences (practitioner and premises) administered by local authorities for green and amber procedures, a CQC-regulated provider requirement for red procedures, and extended under-18 restrictions.
- The realistic timeline runs red-tier CQC regulations first, then a local-authority licensing consultation and secondary legislation. Sector analysts now expect meaningful rollout in 2027 or later.
What to do now
Train to the standards the scheme is expected to reference (regulated qualifications, complications training, insurance, premises records) so licensing becomes a form-filling exercise rather than a scramble. Our licensing tracker guide is updated with every milestone.