UK lawmakers will soon take the first step in their plans to protect the public from unscrupulous, illegal barbershops with the Barbers and Hairdressers (Registration) Bill to be presented at Parliament this month.
On Monday 14th September, Vikki Slade MP is scheduled to introduce the new Bill, which calls for the compulsory registration of barbers and hairdressers in England, Scotland and Wales.
Until now, the UK hair industry has remained largely unregulated, with barbers and hairdressers only required to voluntarily register with the Hair Council under the Hairdressers Registration Act 1964.
However, many in the industry have long argued that these measures do not go far enough to protect public safety or professional standards. Hopes are high that updating licensing laws will elevate the sector, eliminate rogue traders, make illegal businesses more visible and allow business owners to achieve a fair living.
A vocal advocate for mandatory registration, founder of The Barber Council Mike Taylor, of Mike Taylor Education, said that he had been encouraged by the attitude of MPs to finding solutions.
“It’s been a long campaign to get this far and this breakthrough has largely been due to building a relationship with our awesome local MP Vikki Slade,” said Mike.
“I shared the challenges and risks that both hair professionals and the public face due to a lack of any real scrutiny and Vikki gave me the opportunity to speak with MP’s at the Houses of Parliament.
“Registration should protect the public and legitimate businesses through verified competence, insurance and hygiene—not become another voluntary badge that rogue operators can ignore.”
As a Private Member’s Bill, the presentation is a formal First Reading without a debate or vote on the policy, though the Bill’s wording and Second Reading date should follow. For the Bill to make its way to law will depend on parliamentary time, cross-party backing and ultimately government support.