30 June 2020

This update covers:

  • Leicester lockdown delays reopening of salons and barbershops.
  • Northern Ireland to adopt government reopening guidelines.
  • Template MP letter for beauty salons.
  • Furlough records must be kept for six years.
  • Latest on NHBF chair, space and room renting agreements. 

Leicester lockdown delays reopening 

Due to the local lockdown imposed in Leicester, the city’s salons and barbershops will not be allowed to reopen on 4 July 2020. Only essential retail can remain open. Find out more on the Leicester City Council website. 

Northern Ireland to adopt reopening guidelines 

Northern Ireland has said it will adopt the official government guidelines for safe reopening of salons and barbershops. 

The following service businesses will be permitted to reopen from Monday, 6 July 2020:

Nail, beauty, hair salons and barbers, tanning services, electrolysis or acupuncture, spas, tattoo and piercing parlours. This will be subject to the scientific advice, required regulatory amendments, and the ability of businesses to meet social distancing and hygiene requirements.

We are waiting to hear if Scotland and Wales will also adopt the guidelines or publish their own. 

Read our FAQs blog post which covers key aspects of the guidelines. 

Beauty salons encouraged to write to their MP 

The NHBF is encouraging beauty salons to write to their MP to lobby for beauty businesses to be allowed to reopen as soon as possible. 

You can use this template but try to make your letter personal by using your own words to explain your concerns and your contribution to the local economy. Remember to include your name and address as MPs only listen to the concerns of their own constituents. Find your local MP. 

What is the NHBF doing? 

The NHBF is attending a round-table meeting on Wednesday, 1 July with BEIS (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) to discuss safe working in beauty salons. Other industry bodies such as the British Beauty Council, BABTAC and The Guild will also be there. 

Furlough records must be kept for six years 

The government has confirmed that you must keep a record of your furlough payment claims for six years. The information you must keep includes:

  • The amount claimed and claim period for each employee.
  • Claim reference numbers.
  • Your calculations in case HMRC need more information about your claim.
  • For employees you flexibly furloughed, usual hours worked including any calculations that were required.
  • For employees you flexibly furloughed, actual hours worked. 

Find out more on the government website. 

Latest on chair, space and room renting agreements 

Now that chair renting contracts have been suspended for three months, the following applies to NHBF chair rental agreements: 

  • Either party can give seven days’ notice to end the contract.
  • If the chair renter does not pay the rent they owe, the salon/barbershop owner would need to take action in the civil courts to get the unpaid rent back.  

Please note: tenancy agreements  

If you have any tenancy agreements in place with space or room renters you will not be able to force your tenants out or use ‘Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery’ until 30 September. Find out more about this on the government website.  

Find more details in our FAQs. 

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