ADVERTORIAL
Respect OUR SECTOR
The National Hair and Beauty Federation calls on government to back the sector that truly powers communities
The National Hair & Beauty Federation (NHBF) has launched a bold new campaign, Respect Our Sector, calling on the UK Government to formally recognise the true value of the hair and beauty sector. With over 50,000 businesses supporting 220,000 jobs and contributing £5.8 billion to the economy each year, the campaign urges leaders to ‘Recognise. Invest. Include’.
“Respect Our Sector is more than a message – it’s a movement,” says NHBF Chief Executive, Caroline Larissey. “We’re asking government to recognise our true value – to value the people, power the economy, and futureproof the services that are integral to daily life across every postcode in the UK.”
A Sector That Builds Skills and Futures
Hair and beauty is one of the UK’s most accessible sectors – 86% female-led, highly entrepreneurial, and offering a gateway into skilled employment for people of all ages. From apprenticeships and traineeships to full business ownership, it’s a proven route into long-term careers.
Yet the NHBF warns that more support is urgently needed to sustain this talent pipeline. The Federation is calling for a reformed apprenticeship system: one that is flexible, employer-led, and aligned with modern working realities, to help bridge the widening skills gap and ensure the sector continues to thrive.
Stronger Businesses Equals Stronger Communities
With around 50,000 salons, barbershops and clinics in the UK, from high streets to small towns, hair and beauty businesses are much more than service providers – they are social and emotional lifelines. In an era where digital disconnection is rising, salons, barbershops and beauty clinics offer clients something irreplaceable: human connection. “Support the sector that supports everyone,” says Caroline. “Salons are places where relationships grow, where loneliness is eased, and where clients feel seen, safe, and cared for.”
For more information on how to join the NHBF visit www.nhbf.co.uk
Professionals across the sector quietly and consistently support client’s mental health and wellbeing every day. For many clients – particularly older people or those living alone – regular visits provide structure, trust, and social interaction that cannot be replicated online.
Hair Means Business - Let It Grow
Despite its strengths, the sector continues to face barriers to growth. The NHBF highlights current VAT thresholds and tax rules as barriers to growth, disproportionately impacting labour-intenstive sectors like hair and beauty.
The Federation is calling for a fairer VAT model, including the option of reduced rates or a smoothing mechanism to help businesses expand without being penalised. This, they argue, would allow more salons to grow, create jobs, and support the UK’s economic recovery.
Additionally, many hair and beauty businesses are leading the way on sustainability, adopting water-saving tools, eco-friendly practices, and low-waste operations. With the right investment and policy support, this commitment to green growth can flourish further.
A Call to Government, Industry, and Community
At its heart, Respect Our Sector is a rallying cry to government, industry stakeholders, and communities to offer the recognition the sector deserves. “Stronger hair and beauty businesses mean stronger communities,” says Caroline. “This sector is resilient, creative, and essential. But to continue thriving, it must be included in the policy decisions that shape our country’s future.”
Visit www.nhbf.co.uk/about-the-nhbf/campaigning-for-you/respect-oursector/ for more information.
Join the movement today by scanning the QR code below