UK's 'sunshine tax' is costing lives - it’s time policy caught up

You’d be forgiven for thinking Britain has nothing to fear from the sun right now. The sky is stubbornly grey and most of us are still dressing for April. But when the sun does finally turn up, many of us get caught out. Tragically, when seven people die from melanoma in the UK every day, the consequences are clear.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Beauty, Hair & Wellbeing - supported by Lookfantastic- has just published a new report calling for a national UV safety strategy. It should serve as a strong driver for policymakers to act. The report found that 86% of melanoma cases are caused by overexposure - and hence easily preventable. Around 2,600 people are already dying each year, but cases could rise by 9% in the next decade unless we take prevention more seriously.

The simplest, most effective line of defence is sunscreen used properly and routinely. So, why do we still tax it like a discretionary beauty extra? SPF 30+ isn’t a lifestyle choice; it’s preventative healthcare, backed by dermatologists, public health bodies and skin-cancer charities. Yet in the UK it is still subject to 20% VAT as if it’s a luxury.

The APPG describes UV radiation as a “preventable public health challenge” and urges the Government to end the “sunscreen tax” as part of a national UV safety strategy. They highlight an important point: if prevention is the goal, we should remove barriers that make healthy choices harder.

Cost is a real barrier, which is why we have absorbed the cost of VAT ourselves to pass on lower prices to customers. Previous research found that 88% of respondents worry about melanoma, yet 53% say skincare with SPF feels more expensive and puts them off. Crucially, 84% believe sunscreen should be exempt from VAT like other essentials.

The cost of this policy is felt more widely. The APPG estimates that treating skin cancer costs the NHS around £750 million a year. A VAT cut is one of the most immediate and practical ways to encourage greater use, help prevent avoidable cases and support already stretched dermatology services.

According to Melanoma Focus, zero-rating SPF 30+ sunscreen could cut average prices by about 15%, increase use by 23%, and by 2033 return £2.47 in NHS savings for every £1 of VAT revenue foregone. It is a compelling case for action.

Of course, VAT reform should sit alongside wider efforts on UV education in schools, better protection for outdoor workers and stronger regulation of sunbeds. But affordability is central: awareness alone doesn’t help if families feel they need to ration protection.

Last year, we launched our What The SPF?! campaign to support wider sunscreen use and demonstrate the impact of lower prices by discounting SPF products by 20% through the summer. We’re doing the same again this year as part of our commitment to making sun protection more accessible and encouraging everyday use.

Money is tight, as ministers often remind us, but this is one of those rare policy moves that is socially beneficial, economically sensible and widely supported. It has the potential to reduce pressure on the NHS, support families and ultimately save lives.

Cutting VAT won’t solve UV safety on its own, but it would remove a key barrier and send a clear signal that SPF is an essential part of healthcare. It’s time our tax policy reflected that reality.

By Francesca Elliot, CEO of THG Beauty Retail.