A new UK-wide survey has highlighted the growing financial and emotional toll of cancellations and no-shows on beauty and wellness businesses
Cancellations and missed appointments are no longer an occasional inconvenience for beauty and wellness businesses. According to new research from salon software brand Fresha, only 8% of UK salons, spas and grooming businesses say they never experience cancellations or no-shows.
For the majority, the issue is frequent:
- 30% experience cancellations one to two times a week
- 14% deal with cancellations three or more times a week
- 3% face more than five no-shows or cancellations every week
More than half of beauty and wellness businesses say cancellations cause significant income loss, and for some owners, the ongoing disruption is changing how sustainable running a business feels long term.
1 in 3 clients has never considered the impact of cancelling
While cancellations have a clear operational impact, the survey suggests many clients remain unaware of the emotional consequences for salon owners and practitioners.
When clients were asked whether cancelling appointments affects beauty therapists and salon owners:
- 29% said they had never thought about it
- 15% said it does not have an emotional impact
The awareness gap is wider among men, with over a third saying they had never considered the effect of cancelling, compared with 27% of women. Although women were more likely to say they think about the impact, the findings suggest a broader lack of understanding across the client base.
Short-notice cancellations dominate booking behaviour
Late cancellations are a major issue across the industry. Almost two-thirds (62%) of clients say they give less than 24 hours’ notice when cancelling a beauty appointment.
One in five cancellations happens with less than 12 hours to react, leaving businesses little chance to refill the slot. At that point, staff are scheduled, products are prepared, and fixed costs such as rent, utilities and wages remain unchanged.
Younger clients are most likely to cancel without considering consequences
Although over half of clients (53%) say they never cancel or miss appointments, younger age groups show markedly different behaviour.
Among 18-to-24-year-olds:
- 45% say they have never thought about the emotional impact of cancelling
- 48% cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice
- 5% admit to no-shows
By contrast, older clients are significantly more cautious. Over half of those aged 55 to 64 give more than 24 hours’ notice, and 68% say they never cancel appointments at all.
The most common reasons clients give for cancelling or missing appointments are:
- Illness (47%)
- Work schedule changes (38%)
- Social plans changing (25%)
- Forgetting the appointment (22%)
More than half of beauty businesses lose significant income
The financial impact of cancellations is widespread. Across UK beauty and wellness businesses:
- 56% say cancellations cause significant income loss
- 51% say cancellations make it difficult to pay business expenses
- 50% say they struggle to cover personal bills and day-to-day costs as a result
Regional differences are pronounced. In the Midlands, 67% of owners say cancellations make it difficult to pay personal bills, compared with 48% in London and the South East and 43% in the North.
1 in 6 businesses lose more than 10% of revenue
Cancellations quietly erode monthly turnover for many salons:
- 29% lose between 5% and 10% of revenue
- 15% lose between 11% and 20%
- 1% lose more than 20%
On average, hair and beauty businesses lose almost 7% of monthly revenue to cancellations, compared with 6% in health and wellness. Salons with two to 10 employees are more likely than sole traders to report losses of between 5% and 10%.
For a business turning over £10,000 a month, a 10% loss equates to £1,000 in lost income, often making the difference between breaking even and falling behind.
Mid-career salon owners are hit hardest
Business owners aged 35 to 44 experience the highest average revenue loss, at 8% per month. This is double the average loss reported by owners aged 45 and over.
For a mid-career owner turning over £12,000 a month, that equates to £960 lost to no-shows and late cancellations, compared with around £480 for an older owner on the same income.
Repeated no-shows damage mental health and morale
Beyond finances, cancellations take a psychological toll. Four in 10 salon owners say no-shows harm their mental health, with disappointment, frustration and stress emerging as the most common emotional responses.
- 52% report feeling disappointed
- 52% report feeling frustrated
- 35% say cancellations leave them stressed or anxious
Nearly 70% of business owners believe clients do not understand the impact of cancelling, while 61% feel clients often do not care about the consequences.
Sole traders are more likely to feel frustrated, but also more likely to say they can bounce back after cancellations, compared with owners running slightly larger teams.
Cancellations are driving longer hours and exit concerns
More than half (55%) of salon owners say cancellations force them to work longer hours, while 46% say unpredictability means they have to turn other clients away.
Over a quarter of owners say repeated cancellations make them question whether they can remain in the industry, rising to over a third among those aged 25 to 34.
The operational impact is uneven across regions. Owners in the Midlands are most likely to report longer working hours, while businesses in the North are more likely to say cancellations force them to decline other bookings.
How cancellations are reshaping salon operations
To manage risk, many beauty businesses are changing how they operate, including:
- Overbooking popular time slots
- Extending opening hours to recover lost income
- Tightening last-minute availability
- Rethinking pricing structures and minimum spend levels
While cancellations are unlikely to disappear entirely, the research suggests earlier notice, clearer policies and better booking systems could significantly reduce their impact.
Reducing no-shows through better systems
Many salons and wellness businesses are already taking steps to protect their time, including introducing clearer cancellation policies, deposits or pre-payments, waitlists and automated reminders.
Platforms such as Fresha offer tools including online booking, automated reminders, secure payments and flexible cancellation settings, allowing businesses to design booking journeys that better reflect the realities of running a salon.
For clients, using a central booking platform can also make it easier to manage appointments, reschedule earlier when needed and understand cancellation policies upfront.
Methodology
Fresha surveyed over 200 UK beauty and wellness businesses and 500 clients in December 2025 to understand the frequency, financial impact and emotional consequences of cancellations and no-shows. All data is correct as of December 2025. Percentage variances are due to rounding.
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