17 October 2023

This week’s update covers the following: 

  • Its back! NHBF Top 100 Influencer
  • Key takeaways from party conference season
  • Government acts to back small businesses and tackle late payments
  • Is your small business up to scratch with health and safety posters?
  • Fraudsters targeting small businesses on Facebook
  • Save the Date - Tuesday 5th December 2023: Preparing for the Special Procedures Mandatory Licensing Scheme
  • Campaigning for you – Skills in Scotland

IT’S BACK! NHBF TOP 100 INFLUENCER

Save the date! 20th November is going to be bonkers. 

Hair & Beauty Industry Top 100 Influencers Index, now in its third year, the event is the only one of its kind where we get to celebrate individuals in the sector who innovate and share their passion for hair, beauty and barbering. 

Keep an eye out on our social for the top 100 nominees. @NHBFsocials 

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM PARTY CONFERENCE SEASON

During the main political parties' conference season in the UK, which typically takes place in the autumn, each party gathers to discuss and shape its political agenda. The conferences serve as platforms for leaders to address their party members, unveil policy proposals, and rally support. In recent years, these events have been of particular interest to the hair and beauty sector. This year has been no different. The NHBF has listened to all the main political conferences and here is our takeaway from each conference. 

 

GOVERNMENT ACTS TO BACK SMALL BUSINESSES AND TACKLE LATE PAYMENTS

The government has today announced tougher measures to tackle the issue of late payments to small businesses. These new measures will be included in the upcoming Prompt Payment & Cash Flow Review, due to be published shortly and will improve delivery and enforcement of policies, enabling more small businesses to get paid on time. More information can be found here. 

 

IS YOUR SMALL BUSINESS UP TO SCRATCH WITH HEALTH AND SAFETY POSTERS?

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is reminding all small businesses that employ one or more members of staff to check they are displaying the correct health and safety information in the workplace. The information must be displayed on an approved health and safety poster or must be provided to each employee on an approved health and safety leaflet.

 

FRAUDSTERS TARGETING SMALL BUSINESSES ON FACEBOOK

Scammers impersonating Facebook are sending direct messages telling business page owners that their pages will be deleted for infringing Facebook's trademark rights. Read more on how to spot and avoid these scams here.

 

SAVE THE DATE - TUESDAY 5TH DECEMBER 2023 

Preparing for the Special Procedures Mandatory Licensing Scheme: Client Consultation

This is the first in a series of webinars that we intend to deliver for practitioners in Wales to help them prepare for the introduction of the forthcoming Licensing Scheme. 

The free online webinar will be approximately 2 hours 30 minutes and include details of the client consultation requirement and short presentations from healthcare specialists on relevant health conditions and contraindications. 

Details on timings, agenda and speakers will follow shortly, along with information on how to book a place. A certificate of attendance towards CPD will also be available and for those who are unable to attend, the training will be recorded and developed into an e-learning package which will be hosted on the Public Health Wales website.

 

CAMPAIGNING FOR YOU – SKILLS IN SCOTLAND

NHBF has been liaising with Willie Rennie MSP who is active on apprenticeship issues in the Scottish Parliament to raise questions about apprenticeships in Scotland. The Minister for Higher Education Graeme Dey MSP, has responded to a recent letter asking our questions about declining hair & beauty apprenticeship starts in Scotland, the lack of incentives for employers to fill the funding gap and the fact that there are no beauty therapy apprenticeships in Scotland. 

The Minister replied with a considered response pointing out:

  • There was previously a beauty therapy framework that was removed because apparently people preferred to do training as part of a college course.
  • There are Scotland SVQ (Scottish Vocational Qualifications) in Beauty Therapy, Nail Services and Hairdressing and Barbering.
  • Any new apprenticeship frameworks must be demand-led with input from the industry.
  • Regarding the decline in apprenticeship starts, COVID-19 marked a low and 2022/23 figures whilst starts are lower, the achievement rate has improved from 62% in 2021/22 to 70%.
  • In terms of employer incentives, the Employer Recruitment Incentive framework is available at the local level: Local Authorities | Employability in Scotland 

We will continue to pursue a further dialogue with Skills Development Scotland’.