19 June 2020

This update covers: 

  • Opening date for salons and barbershops in Northern Ireland.
  • No reopening date yet for Scottish salons/barbershops.
  • Wales announcement made today.
  • 4 July at the earliest is still the reopening date for England.
  • Clients cannot have allergy alert tests at your salon/barbershop before reopening.
  • Staff training can be carried out before reopening.
  • Extension of ‘unoccupied premises’ insurance cover for Coversure clients.

 Opening date for salons and barbershops in Northern Ireland

The Northern Ireland Executive announced yesterday that salons and barbershops in Northern Ireland will be allowed to reopen on 6 July 2020. The Economy Minister Diane Dodds stated: 

I very much welcome the Executive’s decision today to allow businesses that provide nail, beauty, hair and tanning services, electrolysis and acupuncture to re-open from Monday 6 July. 

However, she also said that the reopening is ‘conditional upon the virus being contained’. 

Find out more. 

Northern Ireland has published guidance on making workplaces safer in various settings, but it does not yet include specific reference to salons and barbershops. 

The NHBF has written to key ministers across the four nations, including Diane Dodds, asking for reopening guidelines to be published as a matter or urgency. 

No opening date yet for Scottish salons or barbershops 

The Scottish government’s latest update to its route map out of the coronavirus crisis does not mention any potential opening dates for salons or barbershops. 

Wales announcement made today

First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced today the latest changes to the easing of the lockdown in Wales. The hairdressing, barbering and beauty sector are being urged to use the next three weeks to  prepare their businesses for reopening by appointment only. 

A further announcement will be made by the First Minister on 9 July to confirm whether it is safe for businesses to reopen from the 13 July. 

No specific guidance for the hair and beauty sector has been released yet. We have written to Ken Skates, Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales in the Welsh Government urging for these guidelines to be released without delay. 

Reopening in England 

The earliest date salons and barbershops are expected to reopen in England is still 4 July 2020.  The guidelines for ‘close proximity services’ have still not been published. 

No allergy alert tests before reopening 

Don’t be tempted to ‘get organised’ and do allergy alert tests in your salon or barbershop before reopening. 

You must not carry out allergy alert tests in advance of the government’s set date for reopening salons and barbershops (this date has not yet been announced). You must wait to be officially open for business before doing allergy alert tests. 

Look out for a new blog post on this topic to be published shortly. 

Training before reopening can go ahead 

You can bring your staff into your salon or barbershop for training before reopening – but your premises must remain closed to the public. Training must be confined to issues such as health & safety and new policies and procedures – but not hair/beauty training using live models. 

Furloughed staff can take part in training, but our legal advice is that they must receive their normal full wage for any time spent training. Find out more about what furloughed staff are allowed to do on the government website. 

Extension of ‘unoccupied premises’ insurance cover for Coversure clients 

Coversure insurance clients will benefit from a further extension to the period of time salon and barbershop premises can be left unoccupied due to the coronavirus outbreak. 

For businesses who closed on 23 March 2020, the original extension to 90 days will run out today (19 June 2020). However, a further extension means that unoccupied premises will remain covered for a further 30 days (a total of 120 days from the date of closure). This further extension does not affect any policy terms. 

For more information email huntingdon@coversure.co.uk or call 0800 308 1000. 

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