The government will ban the sale of acids to anyone under the age of 18, Home Secretary Amber Rudd has said.
Her pledge, made at the Conservative Party conference, comes after assaults using corrosive substances more than doubled in England since 2012.
She also said she would “drastically limit” sales of sulphuric acid, given that it can be used to make explosives.
And Ms Rudd called on internet firms and social media platforms to “act now” and remove extremist content online.
Speaking at the conference in Manchester, she said: “Acid attacks are absolutely revolting.
“We have all seen the pictures of victims that never fully recover – endless surgeries, lives ruined.
“So today, I am also announcing a new offence, to prevent the sale of acids to under-18s.”
She said the “drastic” crackdown on the sale of sulphuric acid would help tackle homemade explosive devices containing triacetone triperoxide – often referred to as “mother of Satan” explosives.
Similar devices were used in this year’s Manchester Arena bombing and last month’s attack at Parsons Green, in west London.
“This is how we help make our communities safer as crime changes,” she told delegates.
