Individual National Health Service trusts are responsible for the provision of information and advice for patients about hair loss services.

NHS England does not collect information centrally about these services but expects there to be clear pathways around hair loss services in each NHS trust, including preventative care, such as scalp cooling, and psychological support around hair loss, and signposting to wig suppliers. The current NHS Supply Chain Wigs Framework Agreement was awarded to 42 suppliers and provides a range of wigs, both real and synthetic, headwear products to provide alternative choice to patients, and maintenance, styling, alteration, and repair services.

NHS England also expects NHS trusts to provide workshops such as headscarf tying, and eyebrow/lash make up and care, among other related services. There will also be provision at appropriate NHS trusts for children and young people. NHS.Net provides clear information on what can be provided and what costs are covered for wigs and fabric support, including advice for patients on a low income. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/wigs-and-fabric-supports-on-the-nhs/

Cancer charity support centres also provide advice and support on hair loss, including the national charity Cancer Hair Care, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.cancerhaircare.co.uk/

Individual National Health Service trusts are responsible for the provision of information and advice for patients about hair loss services.

NHS England does not collect information centrally about these services but expects there to be clear pathways around hair loss services in each NHS trust, including preventative care, such as scalp cooling, and psychological support around hair loss, and signposting to wig suppliers. The current NHS Supply Chain Wigs Framework Agreement was awarded to 42 suppliers and provides a range of wigs, both real and synthetic, headwear products to provide alternative choice to patients, and maintenance, styling, alteration, and repair services.

NHS England also expects NHS trusts to provide workshops such as headscarf tying, and eyebrow/lash make up and care, among other related services. There will also be provision at appropriate NHS trusts for children and young people. NHS.Net provides clear information on what can be provided and what costs are covered for wigs and fabric support, including advice for patients on a low income. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/wigs-and-fabric-supports-on-the-nhs/

Cancer charity support centres also provide advice and support on hair loss, including the national charity Cancer Hair Care, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.cancerhaircare.co.uk/

Individual National Health Service trusts are responsible for the provision of information and advice for patients about hair loss services.

NHS England does not collect information centrally about these services but expects there to be clear pathways around hair loss services in each NHS trust, including preventative care, such as scalp cooling, and psychological support around hair loss, and signposting to wig suppliers. The current NHS Supply Chain Wigs Framework Agreement was awarded to 42 suppliers and provides a range of wigs, both real and synthetic, headwear products to provide alternative choice to patients, and maintenance, styling, alteration, and repair services.

NHS England also expects NHS trusts to provide workshops such as headscarf tying, and eyebrow/lash make up and care, among other related services. There will also be provision at appropriate NHS trusts for children and young people. NHS.Net provides clear information on what can be provided and what costs are covered for wigs and fabric support, including advice for patients on a low income. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/wigs-and-fabric-supports-on-the-nhs/

Cancer charity support centres also provide advice and support on hair loss, including the national charity Cancer Hair Care, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.cancerhaircare.co.uk/

The Department and the National Health Service in England recognise that there are particular challenges for specific groups of people and for breast cancer care, particularly concerning the promotion of inclusive wigs and prosthetic services.

For wigs and accessories, NHS Supply Chain has conducted extensive engagement nationally to fully understand the provision and supply and is working closely with industry groups to support access to the wigs framework, to provide a wider range of products for NHS providers to access. Appropriateness for the wearer has been one of the fundamental focus areas of consideration in this work.

Decisions about the funding and provision of health services, including prosthetic services, are the responsibility of local integrated care boards. NHS England funded audits into primary and metastatic breast cancer to help identify and reduce inequalities and variations in care. Using routine data collected on patients diagnosed with breast cancer in an NHS setting, the audits bring together information to look at what is being done well, where it is being done well, and what needs to be done better. Findings were published in September 2025, and the NHS is acting on the findings.

The current NHS Supply Chain Wigs Framework Agreement was awarded to 42 suppliers and provides a range of wigs, both real and synthetic, and headwear products to provide alternative choices to patients, as well as maintenance, styling, alteration, and repair services.

Whilst there is availability of Afro Caribbean wigs through the currently awarded suppliers, NHS Supply Chain is aware that due to the regionality of suppliers and the nature of them being predominantly micro and small to medium enterprises in many instances, patient choice and access across the United Kingdom can be subject to regional variation.

NHS Supply Chain acknowledges that there is a need to develop the framework offering to support an increase in accessibility to patients for Afro Caribbean products and services, and NHS Supply Chain is preparing to introduce enhanced specifications and a specific category for Afro Caribbean for the successor framework agreement due to launch on 1 February 2027.

NHS Supply Chain’s new Prosthetics, Components and Associated products Framework Agreement is due to launch on 24 November 2025, to replace the current Artificial Limbs framework. The new framework will offer over 95,000 products delivered by 12 suppliers to provide clinical choice to meet patient need. Ensuring that a patient has a prosthetic limb which blends with their actual skin tone is part of the routine standard of care. NHS Supply Chain works closely with the leading national charities and has not had any issues raised concerning accessing appropriate skin tone.

The current NHS Supply Chain Wigs Framework Agreement was awarded to 42 suppliers and provides a range of wigs, both real and synthetic, and headwear products to provide alternative choices to patients, as well as maintenance, styling, alteration, and repair services.

Whilst there is availability of Afro Caribbean wigs through the currently awarded suppliers, NHS Supply Chain is aware that due to the regionality of suppliers and the nature of them being predominantly micro and small to medium enterprises in many instances, patient choice and access across the United Kingdom can be subject to regional variation.

NHS Supply Chain acknowledges that there is a need to develop the framework offering to support an increase in accessibility to patients for Afro Caribbean products and services, and NHS Supply Chain is preparing to introduce enhanced specifications and a specific category for Afro Caribbean for the successor framework agreement due to launch on 1 February 2027.

NHS Supply Chain’s new Prosthetics, Components and Associated products Framework Agreement is due to launch on 24 November 2025, to replace the current Artificial Limbs framework. The new framework will offer over 95,000 products delivered by 12 suppliers to provide clinical choice to meet patient need. Ensuring that a patient has a prosthetic limb which blends with their actual skin tone is part of the routine standard of care. NHS Supply Chain works closely with the leading national charities and has not had any issues raised concerning accessing appropriate skin tone.

During the process to renew what is now the current framework agreement, Wigs and Accessories, NHS Supply Chain conducted extensive engagement nationally to fully understand the provision and supply of wigs, and the requirements from both a National Health Service and supplier perspective. A significant challenge was that wig provision is predominantly conducted by the health and beauty industry, who were not familiar with public procurement law and healthcare framework tendering. NHS Supply Chain’s clinical and commercial teams worked closely with these industry groups to support their access to the wigs framework, to provide a wider range of products for NHS providers to access.

The current NHS Supply Chain framework will expire toward the end of 2025 and NHS Supply Chain’s teams are engaging with key stakeholders across the NHS to determine the future approach in this product area, with appropriateness for the wearer as one of the fundamental focus areas of consideration.

NHS services are free of charge, except in limited circumstances sanctioned by Parliament. Increasing the number of areas where top-up payments for personal health budgets (PHBs) are allowed would risk creating a two-tier health service, undermining the core principle of the National Health Service, set out in the NHS Constitution, that treatment is provided free at the point of use, based on clinical need, not ability to pay.

The Government is committed to the roll out of PHBs, and through Universal Personalised Care, NHS England has committed to offering PHBs to up to 200,000 people over the next five years.

From 6 April 2018 to 8 June 2018, the Department and NHS England consulted on five groups which we believe may benefit most from PHBs. On 21 February 2019, we announced our intention to extend the legal rights to a PHB to people eligible for Section 117 aftercare services, and people who access wheelchair services, whose posture and mobility needs impact their wider health and social care needs. PHBs will not be appropriate for everyone, however we will also continue to work with NHS England to further explore both the other groups we consulted on, and additional groups who we believe could also benefit from having a right to have a PHB. Any further extension will be based on evidence of effectiveness and clinical appropriateness.

The Department and NHS England will continue to support clinical commissioning groups in expanding their PHB offer outside of those groups which are offered a legal right.

The commissioning and configuration of dermatology services in England is a local matter. The majority of patients with dermatological disorders, including alopecia, are managed in primary and community care and the local National Health Service is best placed to make decisions that ensure services meet the needs of resident populations in the most appropriate way.

Prescriptions for wigs are available on the NHS, but patients will be charged for them unless they qualify for help with charges. Further information can be found via the NHS website:

www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/help-with-health-costs/wigs-and-fabric-supports-on-the-nhs

Wig suppliers under contract to the National Health Service through the NHS Supply Chain framework must be a member of the Hairdressing and Beauty Suppliers Association (HBSA) and subscribe to the HBSA Wigs Suppliers Code of Practice 2018 which covers the expected quality and standards of service.

Information concerning the number of people diagnosed with alopecia is not available.

The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence states that alopecia is a relatively common condition, estimated to affect 15 in 10,000 people in the United Kingdom. Alopecia can present at any age, and males and females are affected equally.

Information concerning the cost to the National Health Service regarding the provision of wigs for alopecia is not available.