Salon owners meet with MP to discuss apprenticeships funding

Salon owners have raised concerns that plans to put funding for apprentices under the full control of employers would prove a huge administrative burden.

Last week, a select few National Hairdressing Federation (NHF) member salon owners met with Matthew Hancock MP, the then-skills and enterprise minister, to express their concerns about the funding changes, which will come into force in May 2015.

The NHF is concerned that the plans could undermine the positive changes set to be made to apprenticeships as a result of the Government’s trailblazer initiative.

Kevin Hughes, owner of Fusion Hair and Beauty in Great Yarmouth, said, “We want apprenticeships to be the only recognised route into employment as they set young people up for working life. Anything that puts employers off apprenticeships is not good news for our industry.

Hillary Hall, chief executive of the NHF, said, “Asking salons to take on these extra funding responsibilities will be an unnecessary distraction and burden.” She added that she was pleased with the outcome of the meeting with Hancock.