6 April 2021

This update covers:

  • England: one-off grants for personal care businesses.
  • England: updated requirements for NHS Test and Trace.
  • Close contact services: reopening guidance updates.
  • Lockdown dates across the four nations.

England: one-off grants for personal care businesses 

Businesses in the personal care sector in England will be eligible for one-off grants of up to £18,000 to help them reopen safely. You can check your eligibility on the government website.  

England: updated requirements for NHS Test and Trace

When you reopen, the rules on what you must do when a group enters your salon or barbershop have changed. You must ask every client or visitor (not just a lead member of the group) to scan the NHS QR code using their NHS Covid-19 app or provide their name and contact details. Find out more on the government website.  

Close contact services: reopening guidance updates

England has updated its guidance for close contact services. Mobile businesses should also follow the guidelines for working in other people’s homes.

Wales and Scotland have recently updated their reopening guidance for close contact services (further updates may be made in the coming weeks):

Northern Ireland has not yet updated it guidance. 

Lockdown dates across the four nations

England: ‘Personal care premises’ including hairdressers, salons and close contact services will be allowed to open in step two of the roadmap on 12 April 2021. 

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has confirmed that this includes mobile businesses. Mobile businesses should follow the guidance for working in other people’s homes as well as the England guidance.

Saunas and steam rooms cannot open until step 3 of the roadmap which is due to start no earlier than 17 May, and at least five weeks after step 2. Find out more on the government website. Download a pdf of the full roadmap.  

Wales: The Welsh government has announced that all hair and beauty businesses can open from 12 April 2021. (Hair and barbering services only were allowed to open on 15 March 2021.) The government’s statement says that this will include mobile. 

The latest Welsh guidance was last updated on 12 March 2021. We understand that this guidance will be updated again soon to include more details about how businesses should be operating. 

We are currently seeking clarification on the following: 

  • If there will be any restrictions on the types of services and treatments that can be offered.
  • If mobile will only be allowed (as applies now) if someone ‘cannot physically leave their home or leaving their home will have a detrimental effect on their wellbeing’.  

Scotland: Hairdressers and barbers in Scotland were allowed to open on an appointment-only basis from yesterday, 5 April 2021, the Scottish Government announced. 

All shops (including salons) can now offer click and collect-by-appointment retail services.

Beauty salons and mobile hair and beauty services cannot open yet. A further announcement is expected on 20 April 2021. 

The Scottish Government has updated its guidance for close contact services.

The following will remain at level 3: 

  • Orkney.
  • Shetland.
  • The following islands within Argyll and Bute: Coll, Colonsay, Erraid, Gometra, Iona, Islay, Jura, Mull, Oronsay, Tiree, and Ulva.
  • All islands in Highland, with the exception of Skye.

In these areas:

  • Salons and barbershops can open.
  • Mobile hairdressing and barbering can operate.
  • Close contact services delivered from a salon, shop or other static site such as a home treatment room can operate. 
  • All other types of mobile close contact services including beauty are not permitted.

Northern Ireland: Northern Ireland is under lockdown. The current regulations will be reviewed on 15 April 2021. 

From 12 April, contactless click/phone and collect will be permitted for all non-essential retail businesses.

Find out more on the Northern Ireland Executive website. 

Find out more about lockdowns across the four nations. 

See all updates