NHBF Snap Poll shows urgent need for financial support in hair & beauty industry
By Chloe Randall | 23 December 2021 | Movers & Shakers, News
A snap poll by the NHBF has demonstrated the urgent need for local authorities in England to process applications from hair & beauty salons and barbershops for the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG), as quickly as possible.
The Additional Restrictions Grant was increased earlier this week, which allows the hair & beauty industry to apply to their local authority, who each have their own criteria for eligibility, to receive a grant.
There is currently £250 million left in the ARG pot, along with the additional £100 million announced earlier this week by Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak.
The results of the NHBF Snap Poll come after last weekend saw around 50% of hair & beauty businesses losing between 21-50% of revenue, with around 20% losing a staggering 50-100%.
Between 17 and 19 December 2021, 30% of booked appointments were cancelled and walk-in trade fell to 19% of what was expected. Salons and barbershops reported clients cancelling appointments due to confusion and nervousness around the transmission of the Omicron variant or the effects of either staff or client illness.
Richard Lambert, chief executive of National Hair & Beauty Federation
Richard Lambert, NHBF chief executive, says: “This isn’t about asking government to bail out a failing industry – pre–Covid, the sector was in the top three fastest growing parts of the retail sector. It’s about supporting previously profitable businesses, owned or managed primarily by women, employing a high percentage of females and young people.”
“If local authorities don’t make this extra funding available to hair & beauty salons or barbershops in their area, these businesses will close, with a huge impact on the local economy as well as on the health and well-being of the community.”
The NHBF has written to Paul Scully MP, Minister for small business and the personal care sector, to ask for help in urging local authorities to ensure that the ARG fund is made available to hair & beauty businesses struggling, and to the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak MP, to consider more targeted financial help if the situation does not improve.
Hair & Beauty salons and barbershops can find their local authority here