How the Recent UK Budget Will Affect Our Hair & Beauty Salon

Rising Wages and National Insurance Increases

Wages have risen again—something that now happens year after year. We fully support fair pay for our team, but repeated increases bring very real challenges for service-based businesses like ours.

Last year’s combined impact of National Insurance changes and wage rises placed a significant burden on the salon. Even after we were forced to raise prices, we have worked hard this year simply to keep up with the higher costs.

Clients Are Feeling the Pressure Too

We know many clients are also facing rising household costs. With higher taxes, mortgage pressures and lingering inflation effects, people are understandably spending less on non-essentials—including hair and beauty treatments.

On quieter days, some team members may have empty diary slots or only one or two bookings. This is not a reflection of their talent or effort—it's simply the reality of tighter budgets across the country. We are also seeing more last-minute cancellations and no-shows, which makes planning and staffing even harder.

Why Salon Costs Are Different

A salon is not like a high-volume business where one person can serve hundreds of customers per hour. Our industry is one-to-one and time-based: each stylist or therapist is dedicated to one client at a time—often for several hours.

This means our prices must cover not only wages but also National Insurance, VAT and the many costs involved in delivering professional, high-quality services.

Key operating costs include:

• Staff wages and National Insurance contributions
• VAT and other business taxes
• Professional products and equipment
• Heating, electricity and water
• Rent and business rates
• Music licences
• Tea and coffee for clients
• Accountancy and other professional fees
• Bin collections, cleaning products and everyday essentials

Price rises will be kept to the bare minimum

We want to reassure our clients that we are doing everything possible to keep any price increases to an absolute minimum. For many of our smaller services, the increase will be just £1. Unfortunatly these modest price increases will not fully cover the additional costs created by higher wages and National Insurance contributions. We have absorbed as much of the increase as we realistically can, but to continue operating responsibly, paying our team fairly, and maintaining the quality and service you expect, we do need our clients’ understanding and continued support. Your loyalty truly makes a difference and helps us navigate these ongoing pressures together.

Local Price Ceilings and the Reality of Running an Honest Business

We operate in an area where there is a clear ceiling on what people feel they can pay for a haircut or colour. We have always aimed to keep pricing fair, transparent and accessible—while still paying our taxes correctly and maintaining a proper wage structure.

This year has been one of the toughest we’ve experienced. With wages set to rise again in April, we will need to increase prices in March 2026. Our hope is that clients will continue to support us, because if salon visits become unaffordable for too many, it could eventually mean reduced hours or losing valued staff— something we want to avoid at all costs.

Our Commitment to Quality

We have always prided ourselves on using the very best professional products and ensuring our team is trained to the highest standards. We work with the same leading brands used by premium city-centre salons and complete the same professional training programmes to deliver outstanding results.

In fact, the brand representatives and product educators who regularly visit us have been very open about the current state of the industry. They tell us that salons across the country are struggling, regardless of size or location, as clients cut back on spending.

Interestingly, we’re also hearing that clients who previously visited higher-priced city salons are now travelling further afield in search of better value—without wanting to compromise on quality. This is where we feel we offer something genuinely special.

We use the same big-name brands, follow the same professional training standards, and deliver the same level of expertise as many city-centre salons—often at a more accessible price point.

While we remain more affordable than many city-based salons, our commitment to quality, training and client care has never changed.

Thank You for Supporting Your Local High Street

We are truly grateful for your loyalty. Supporting independent high-street businesses has never been more important—especially those that pay their taxes, invest in training, and employ staff properly.

Thank you for your continued support and understanding.

Areas We Serve

We’re based in Rowley Regis and welcome clients from Birmingham, Hagley and the surrounding areas. If you’re looking for a trusted hair and beauty salon near you, we’re easy to reach from:

Not sure if we’re your nearest salon? Give us a call or use our Find Us page for directions.

Book an Appointment

To book, ask a question, or discuss any of our services, please contact us using the details below or via our website.

Phone: 0121 559 3003
Address: 9 Halesowen Street, Rowley Regis, West Midlands. B65 0HG
Opening Hours: 9am - 6pm Mon, Tue, Wed, Friday. Thu 9am - 8pm. Saturday 9am - 4pm. Sunday : Closed.