21 February 2023
NHBF State of the Industry Survey: Hair & Beauty Industries Face Renewed Fight for Survival
The National Hair & Beauty Federation (NHBF) publishes its latest State of the Industry quarterly survey showing evidence that the sector is slowly recovering but is urging further targeted government support to ensure business survival and future growth.
The latest State of the Industry survey found that in the climate of rising energy and business costs and declining consumer confidence, the sense of uncertainty that returned in September has now bedded in.
Slightly more businesses (25%, up from 19% in September) are making either a small or substantial loss. Slightly fewer are making a small or good profit (30%, down from 35%), and 44% are breaking even.
Read the full report here and watch a video highlight
T Levels: Designed with employers, for employers
Employers have told us that they face a skills shortage that could impact the future success of businesses. In response, the government has worked alongside hundreds of employers to design T Level courses that deliver the skills your business needs.
Each T Level is equivalent to 3 A levels and helps young people develop the knowledge, attitude and practical skills to thrive in the workplace.
At the heart of each course, every T Level student completes an industry placement that lasts a minimum of 315 hours (approximately 45 days). Industry placements give you a unique opportunity to help develop new talent in your industry and get young people work-ready.
- Develop your future talent/workforce and bring fresh ideas and perspective
- Flexible scheme to meet your business
- A new qualification developed in collaboration with employers
- An industry placement is at the heart of each T Level
- Government funded scheme, but you may have your own business costs
- The qualification designed by employers to provide the skills set you need
T Levels and industry placement support for employers
Employers’ advice on how to avoid anti-competitive behaviour
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has produced guidance for employers on how to comply with competition law when deciding on salaries and working conditions for both new and current employees. The guidance also covers policies for hiring and retaining staff.
Actions businesses can take:
- understand how competition law applies to no-poaching and wage-fixing agreements
- don’t agree with a competitor to fix wages
- don’t agree with a competitor not to approach or hire each other’s employees
- don’t share sensitive information about your business or employees with a competitor
- provide recruitment staff with training on competition law and how it applies in the recruitment context
- ensure solid internal reporting processes are in place and that staff are aware of these and how they can use them
Scam warning: Fake BT emails
Action Fraud is warning business owners to be on the lookout for scam phishing emails impersonating BT. If you’ve received an email you think might be a scam, report It to action fraud.
Welsh Government: Helping businesses cut energy costs: Welsh Government and Development Bank launch new Green Business Loan Scheme
A major new loan scheme to support businesses in Wales to cut their energy costs by taking steps to become greener and more energy efficient has been launched by the Welsh Government and Development Bank of Wales.
With the ambition to invest £10 million over the next three years, the new Green Business Loan Scheme, which will offer discounted interest rates and flexible repayment dates, will help businesses make improvements allowing them to reduce their carbon footprint – supporting Wales' journey to becoming net zero by 2050.
Projects which the loans could support include:
- investing in renewable energy technology;
- improving the fabric of premises and energy efficiencies within the building;
- upgrading systems or machinery to reduce energy use;
- water usage and waste reduction/improvements
HSE publishes restriction opinion on tattoo and permanent make-up inks
A detailed analysis of substances that could cause health risks to adults in Britain who get tattoos or permanent make up has been published.
Following a six-month public consultation last year on a restriction proposal for certain hazardous substances in tattoo and permanent make up inks, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), in its role as the agency for UK REACH, has published its risk assessment opinion.
This is the first analysis of its kind to have been published under UK REACH, the standalone chemicals regime established after the UK left the EU. UK REACH is a regulation that applies to the majority of chemical substances that are manufactured in or imported into Great Britain (GB) (England, Scotland, Wales).