More than 50 beauty businesses and practitioners in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, have now joined a new city scheme designed to make cosmetic treatments safer for residents. The Cosmetic Compliance Scheme, which is the first council-run project of its kind in the UK, was launched by the City of Wolverhampton Council to check that local salons are following strict health and safety rules.
The voluntary programme began in November 2025 and focuses on high-risk procedures such as Botox, dermal fillers, and chemical peels. Businesses that sign up undergo inspections by the council’s Environmental Health Team to check their infection prevention, waste management, and how they handle medical complications. Shops that meet the standards are given certificates and stickers to display in their windows, and their details are added to a public register for customers to check.
Council officials introduced the scheme after growing concerns about unqualified people performing cosmetic work. This follows an investigation in June 2025 by national health experts into a local clinic where equipment was not cleaned properly for certain facial treatments. Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal said that while these treatments are popular, they can lead to serious issues like infections or nerve damage if not done correctly.
The city has previously taken a lead on beauty safety, becoming the first local authority in England to ban a business from offering non-surgical Brazilian Butt Lifts in 2023. This local safety initiative is free for businesses to join and aims to protect the public until a mandatory national licensing system is ready in a few years. There are currently more than 120 beauty businesses listed on the council database, and officials are encouraging more to sign up for the voluntary safety checks.
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