16 November 2021

This update covers:

  • Apprentice grant deadline
  • HMRC tax webinars
  • NHBF supports official licensing scheme for aesthetic non-surgical cosmetic treatments in UK
  • Change to Real Living Wage 
  • NHBF Hair & Beauty industry Top 100 Influencers 2021
  • COVID-19 Guidance


Apprentice grant deadline
Any employer in England who hired an apprentice between 1 April and 30 September 2021 has until 30 November to claim the £3,000 incentive payment for each eligible apprentice.

HMRC tax webinars
HMRC has released recordings of two recent webinars on Making Tax Digital for VAT and Risks for agencies and other businesses working with umbrella companies operating avoidance schemes aimed at employers who use temporary labour.


NHBF supports official licensing scheme for aesthetic non-surgical cosmetic treatments in UK
In recent years, there has been a significant rise in the number and type of non-surgical aesthetic procedures performed in the UK. Practitioners, both medically and non-medically trained, are performing procedures without being able to evidence appropriate training and required standards of oversight or supervision for high- risk procedures.

The NHBF has been instrumental in working on an amendment to the Health & Care Bill that will add in a licensing scheme for aesthetic non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England. This amendment has been sent to all MPs by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) asking for their support.

Read full statement here. The full Parliamentary Briefing can be downloaded here.

Change to Real Living Wage
As of Monday 15 November, the Real Living Wage has increased to £9.90 across the UK and £11.05 in London.
The Real Living Wage (RLW) is only voluntary, so businesses and employers cannot be compelled to pay it. This differs from the National Living Wage, which is Government-backed and set in law, so businesses and employers must pay it. Around 9,000 employers currently sign up to the Real Living Wage. 

The RLW is calculated by the Living Wage Foundation, a campaigning organisation, and is based directly on the cost of living.
The Real Living Wage is for everyone aged 18 and over, whereas the National Living Wage is for anyone aged 23 and over.

Read the NHBF blog on the increase in the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage next year.

NHBF Hair & Beauty industry Top 100 Influencers 2021
Since July, you’ve been nominating the individuals in the industry who you think are the most influential on social media including, hairdressers, barbers, beauty therapists, nail technicians, make-up artists and aestheticians. Once nominations closed, the list was independently analysed by the influencer index based on independent data metrics. Last week the Top 80 were announced across the NHBF social media channels @nhbfsocial.

On Sunday 14 November, the Top 20 were announced live at Electric Space, London. The event was live-streamed on the NHBF’s YouTube channel. In top place and this year’s winner was Caroline Hirons.

To find out the full Top 100 list click here. You can watch back the live stream here.


COVID-19 guidance
Read our four nations’ FAQs which include links to the latest government guidance that must be followed.

Members can call our membership team, Monday-Friday, 9-5, on 01234 831965. Please be patient due to the extremely high level of calls we are currently getting.

For legal advice, Members can login to get our 24/7 legal helpline number. Again, please be patient. The legal team is also dealing with a considerable number of calls.