Pending Economic Impact Assessment Reports promise better insight into the economic value of the UK Hair & Beauty Industry
Last year, the Hair and Barber Council commissioned a ‘Welsh Economic Impact Assessment’ at the Senedd in Wales, which valued the hair and beauty industry at up to £280M per annum to the Welsh Economy. Now, the Hair and Barber Council and BABTAC Alliance are delighted to announce the expansion of this pilot study, to produce the same report for England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The data collection phase for the three additional regions started in October 2018 with final reports expected in March 2019, ahead of a launch in Parliament in April 2019. Once finalised, the Alliance will have definitive figures for the economic value of the Hair, Barbering and Beauty industry, both individually for each of the devolved nations, and collectively for the UK as a whole.
Keith Conniford, CEO and Registrar of The Hair & Barber Council comments “The UK Government has been keen to establish the value of our industry for years, but the lack of regulation means a figure is difficult to establish. The new reports, which are compiled by expert research teams, help to determine a credible value. In turn, this will provide powerful and compelling information to gain UK Government support for the industry. It is our hope that it can be used to underpin the campaign for self-regulation, changing the currently voluntary Act of Parliament to be mandatory.”
Lesley Blair, Chair, BABTAC & CIBTAC comments “The power of the report for Wales has been remarkable, helping to increase the influence of the industry in the eyes of the Government, and establishing a credible value for the first time ever. Up to £280M contribution per annum is incredible, and we’re excited to find out the value of the other three devolved regions. As an organisation, we have been clearly driving for a self-regulatory framework for a number of years, and the value figures will help to underpin the arguments.”
The Hair and Barber Council, in conjunction with BABTAC, are the ONLY industry body that has the mandate from Government to protect and develop the current Register of State Registered Hairdressers and Barbers, and collectively have a membership of 22,000 members. The ambition is to modernise the mandate to reflect the current and future industry, and to expand its remit to incorporate the modern industry as a whole. The Hair and Barber Council and BABTAC have an enormous amount of relevant industry experience, and together with the industry at large are truly ‘shaping the future together’.