Inclusive hair training is a necessary professional standard. Not only to ensure equity, but to reflect modern Britain, support safer salon experiences, strengthen career opportunities and ensure the next generation of hair professionals are equipped to serve every client with confidence and expertise.

Back in 2020, industry experts, led by the British Beauty Council, made vital updates to the National Occupational Standards (NOS) to ensure all hair types were represented in hairdressing and barbering qualifications and to ensure mandatory training for textured and Afro hair: A change essential to improving salon experiences for millions of people across the UK.

Implementation was delayed, so in 2025 the taskforce once again called on the UK Government.

In an open letter to Baroness Smith the Minister of State for Skills, warning that current training standards were leaving thousands of students graduating each year without the skills needed to serve the full diversity of the UK population.

Six months on and six years from the start of the campaign, we’re delighted to see these vital  changes finally being implemented. Speaking of the Council’s progress on this important campaign to date, Millie Kendall O.B.E., CEO of the British Beauty Council, says, “We have written to Baroness Smith, Minister of State for Skills, a number of times in addition to a series of meetings with the Department of Education, to ensure these changes are implemented. I now feel confident that we are making progress and will be working closely with Skills England on their upcoming qualification review.

In the meantime, we have been given confirmation that whilst there has been a freeze on the funding of new hair and beauty courses for the last 5 years, it has still been possible to make small wording changes to existing qualifications. This means that awarding organisations can, and in some cases have, been able to amend their courses to ensure the teaching of all hair types is referenced throughout. Bodies such as City & Guilds have confirmed to the Council that they have made such updates. Now we have this clarification, we will be engaging with other awarding organisations to ensure further updates and drive greater equity in hair and beauty services.”

The British Beauty Council and its Hair Equity Taskforce remain committed to driving forward these meaningful changes and will continue to engage with the Government through the Department for Education and Skills England regarding a clear timeline for review; including setting expectations with colleges to ensure staff have the resources and expertise to teach any updated curriculum.

Antoinette Ale, the Council’s Hair Equity Lead and founder of Tressly, adds, “I see how the lack of textured-hair education affects real people – their safety, their dignity, and their access to quality services. By bringing the industry together, we’re creating the momentum needed to finally embed textured-hair competence across all education and training pathways.”