Named & shamed: Beauty businesses not paying correct wages to be listed

Businesses who fail to pay their workers the correct National Living Wage or National Minimum Wage will have their names published to the public from April 2020, warns the National Hair and Beauty Federation (NHBF).

Publication will be restricted to businesses who owe £500 or more, however, businesses that owe less than £500 will not be named and may still face fines.

“It’s completely right that stylists, barbers and therapists should be properly paid for the valuable work they do,” says Hilary Hall, NHBF chief executive.

“It’s shameful that hairdressing was named as one of the three sectors most likely to get the calculations wrong, alongside retail and hospitality. Particularly for people who work part-time and varying hours, the calculations can be complicated and even a small unintentional error can lead to a worker being underpaid, which is why the NHBF provides free advice to members on getting payments right.

“We also welcome the government’s commitment to simplifying the National Minimum Wage regulations, which should make it easier for small businesses to get wages right.”

She added: “We have consistently questioned why salons who genuinely try to do the right thing by their workers, but who make small mistakes, are so heavily penalised, when businesses which break all the rules seem to get away with it.

“We continue to call on the enforcement authorities to do more to tackle crooked businesses working in the black economy, who fail to pay the correct wages, tax or VAT.”

www.nhbf.co.uk