Government rejects calls for compulsory hairdresser registration

New calls for the mandatory state registration of UK hairdressers have been rejected by the government in a recent parliamentary debate. Nia Griffith, Labour MP for Llanelli, recently raised the issue in the Commons, where it was debated by MPs. However, the BBC reports that Griffith’s plans were promptly rejected by MPs, with the move expected to cost the hair and beauty sector £75 million if it went ahead.

Griffith argued that at present, as there is no requirement for hairdressers to attain certain qualifications or be registered, members of the public have no guarantee that the service they receive will be competent or even safe. In the debate, conservative MP Mark Harper said that Griffith hadn’t laid out a compelling argument, and that she had ïlaid out theoretical risks, but they are not risks in practice.’

This isn’t the first time in the current parliament that the matter of mandatory registration for hairdressers has been discussed. In 2011, MP David Morris, himself a former hairdresser and salon manager, raised the matter in the Commons. However, a tight vote saw the motion defeated.

The National Hairdressers’ Federation and the Hairdressing Council had been lobbying intensively in the build-up to this month’s vote, and this latest rejection will undoubtedly come as a blow for these industry bodies.

As ever, hairdressers can choose to register with the Hairdressing Council. With the status quo maintained, the quality of non-registered hairdresser’s work will continue to speak for itself, through recommendations by trusted clients, but to ensure commercial success salon owners need to spread the word via text and email marketing tools utilising Salon management soft ware. Take a look at how it works.