The Hair & Barber Council is one of the UK’s leading lights in raising standards within the industry. Its Registrar, Keith Conniford, has been in contact with the Minister for Small Business and Labour Markets, Paul Scully, to ensure the industry is considered during decision-making plans in relation to Coronavirus.
Keith stressed to the Minister that the hairdressing, barbering and beauty professional industry contributes some £6.6 billion to the UK economy each year, employs upwards of 337,687 individuals across some 50,000 businesses and trains more than 16,000 apprentices.
Keith said: “Due to the very nature of the industry, we are expecting to be hit hard by the measures being put in place to combat the virus, as people reduce their social contact further over the comings weeks and months. Whilst we understand that these measures are necessary to protect the wellbeing of the nation and know that many sacrifices are being made across the country, we would urge the Government to keep the industry present in mind during this challenging time.
“We welcome the initiatives announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to ease the negative impact of the Coronavirus on businesses and self-employed persons, but the industry requires urgent clarification on how they can make full use of this aid. For example, the extension of the business rates holiday and the option of cash grants.”
The original Hairdressing Council was set up in 1964 by an Act of Parliament. This means that hairdressers and barbers can apply to become State Registered in the same way as doctors, dentists or nurses can. The only difference is that it is currently voluntary to belong to the UK Register of qualified hairdressers and barbers, but the Hair and Barber Council is campaigning to make registration mandatory in the aim to raise standards within the Industry. The Hair and Barber Council believes in the professionalism and passion of hairdressing and barbering and its aim is to raise standards, making the industry self regulated. Ideally every hairdresser and barber should be state registered which would eliminate those cowboys who practise hairdressing and/or barbering with no qualifications or experience whatsoever.
