About us
The voice of the people behind the chair
The British Hair & Beauty Consortium exists to make sure hair, beauty and barbering professionals are heard where decisions about their livelihoods are made.
Who we are
The British Hair & Beauty Consortium (BHC) is a consortium of salon owners, educators and industry partners from across the UK. We came together because the businesses that make up our industry, most of them small and independent, were too often missing from the conversations that shape their future.
We are led by people who work in the industry every day. Our Chair, Collette Osborne, is also the founder of Salon Owners United.
What we do
We build the evidence. We commission independent research, including our work with CBI Economics, so the case for our sector rests on hard numbers.
We take it to government. We brief MPs in Parliament, meet ministers and shadow ministers, and deliver the industry's message directly to Downing Street.
We bring the industry together. Through One Voice, trade bodies, educators, suppliers and thousands of businesses have spoken with a single, united voice.
Putting Professionals First
It is more than a slogan. It means policy that recognises the skill, training and accountability of hair, beauty and barbering professionals, and a tax system that lets the businesses that employ and train them grow.
Our priorities
- Fair VAT for hair, beauty and barbering
- Mandatory registration, with the Hair Council
- Rebuilding employment and apprenticeships
- Policy built on real evidence from real salons
Our members
The organisations that make up the British Hair & Beauty Consortium
The BHC is a working group of the organisations below, who together represent more than 50,000 industry professionals.
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Fellowship for British Hairdressing
Founded in 1946, the Fellowship champions the creativity of British hairdressing and nurtures the next generation of talent through its events, awards and the F.A.M.E. Team for rising stylists.
fellowshiphair.com -
Salon Employers Association
The voice of VAT-registered, employing salons. The SEA campaigns on the tax and employment issues that decide whether salons can keep staff and train apprentices. Its Chief Executive is Toby Dicker.
salonemployersassociation.co.uk -
The Hair Council
The Hair and Barber Council was set up by Act of Parliament in 1964. It keeps the state register of hairdressers and barbers and leads the campaign for mandatory registration to protect professionals and the public.
haircouncil.org.uk -
Salon Owners United
Built by salon owners for salon owners. SOU gives owners business support, live clinics, toolkits and a community where owners help owners, and a collective voice on the issues that affect them. Founded by Collette Osborne.
sou.org.uk -
Freelance Hairdressers' Association
The FHA gives freelance hairdressers a voice, with training, education, business support and networking for the self-employed professionals at the heart of the industry.
thefha.org.uk -
Men's Hairdressing Federation
MHFed brings barbers and men's hairdressers together to share education, events and the craft of men's grooming, and to raise standards across barbering.
mhfed.com -
Habia
The Hair and Beauty Industry Authority is the government-approved standards body for hair, beauty, nails, spa therapy and barbering, setting the standards behind the industry's qualifications.
habia.org
One Voice
The organisations standing with us
One Voice brought together organisations from every corner of the industry, alongside more than 2,300 businesses, in a single call to the Chancellor.
Stand with the industry
The more voices behind us, the harder we are to ignore. Join BHC today.