The UK government is considering new rules that would require all sunbed salons to check customers' identification before allowing them to use tanning equipment. This measure aims to prevent teenagers under 18 from illegally accessing sunbeds, a practice that has persisted despite an existing ban.
Background on the Ban
Under-18s are already prohibited from using sunbeds, but many teenagers circumvent the law by using contactless payment systems, which allow them to tan anonymously. The new proposals, which will be open for public consultation starting Friday, would mandate that staff be present and verify a customer's age via ID before any sunbed use.
Additional Requirements
In addition to ID checks, the government plans to require health warnings to be prominently displayed in all salons. Furthermore, dangerous claims that sunbeds aid weight loss or prevent sunburn would be banned under the new regulations. The Department of Health announced these measures ahead of a 12-week consultation period.
Public Health and Prevention Minister Sharon Hodgson stated: 'Sunbeds cause cancer and yet children as young as 14 are still accessing them illegally. That is not acceptable. We’re closing the ways in which businesses could get away with this, and making sure anyone who uses a sunbed knows exactly what they’re risking. Stopping cancer before it starts is the best thing we can do for families and the NHS.'
Consultation and Future Actions
The public, businesses, local authorities, and experts are invited to provide feedback during the consultation period. If approved, the new rules could take effect as early as next year. The government will also consider tougher measures, with a call for evidence scheduled for autumn 2026.
Professor Peter Johnson, national clinical director for cancer at NHS England, commented: 'Sunbeds are not a harmless shortcut to a tan – we know they are a cancer risk, and under-18s should not be using them at all. These proposals would help prevent unscrupulous operators from providing sunbeds to children and make sure that adults understand the risks before they use one.'
Cancer Statistics and Impact
In 2023, there were nearly a quarter of a million new skin cancer diagnoses in the UK, costing the NHS an estimated £750 million annually. The crackdown is part of the government’s national cancer plan, which aims for one in three cancer patients to be cancer-free or living well five years after diagnosis.
Marie Tudor, chief executive of Skcin skin cancer charity, described the consultation as 'extremely encouraging.' She added: 'With skin cancer now the most common cancer in the UK, and evidence showing the risks increase significantly when sunbed use begins at a young age, stronger regulation is urgently needed. Mandatory ID checks, clearer health warnings, and tighter controls on misleading health claims are positive and necessary steps towards improving public safety, raising awareness, and helping to prevent future skin cancer cases.'
Expert Opinions
Jules Worrall, interim chief executive at Teenage Cancer Trust, said: 'If enforced, these new proposals could protect more teenagers and young adults. We strongly recommend that sunbeds are avoided and want to ensure that teenagers and young adults are informed about the risks. So we’re pleased that the consultation aims to strengthen health warnings, as well as crack down on ID checks, because we are deeply concerned about the level of harmful misinformation easily available promoting so-called ‘benefits’ about sunbeds.'
Susanna Daniels, chief executive of Melanoma Focus, highlighted: 'Young skin is especially vulnerable to the risks of sunbeds, and research has shown that a single exposure to indoor tanning before the age of 35 years is associated with a 59% increased risk of developing melanoma.'
