Who’s Really Cutting Corners?
Barbering in 2025: Why Doing It Right Still Matters
A message from HARE
At HARE, we believe barbering is more than a service, it’s a craft, a career path, and a vital part of British community culture. We also believe in doing things the right way.
But right now, honest, hardworking businesses like ours are being left behind by a system that turns a blind eye to those cutting corners.
Proverbs 10:9 says, “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely.”
But in our industry, integrity can feel more like a penalty.
What Doing It Right Looks Like (And Why It’s Worth It)
At HARE, we’re proud of how we operate:
✅ We pay our taxes — VAT, PAYE, National Insurance
✅ We train the next generation through a hands-on apprenticeship programme
✅ We offer free haircuts with our apprentices to give them real experience and serve the community
✅ We provide formal contracts, staff support, and development opportunities
✅ We follow hygiene standards, DBS checks, and ensure our shop is safe and inclusive
✅ We’re open, transparent, and proudly part of the local economy
We don’t do this because it’s easy, we do it because it’s right.
The Reality We’re Facing
Unfortunately, not all businesses are doing the same. Across the UK, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of unregulated businesses operating:
Cash-only, no receipts
No VAT registration, no staff contracts
No hygiene checks or DBS vetting
Often open late with no oversight
Investigations by The Times and The Sun have revealed widespread tax evasion and even links to criminal networks. Meanwhile, honest businesses like HARE get inspected, monitored, and financially squeezed — simply for doing what’s right.
Whats Holding All Independant Businesses Back
We’re not against taxes, we believe in supporting the NHS, public services, and community infrastructure.
But the current VAT system isn’t fair to service-based businesses like barbershops, builders, personal trainers, all independents.
The threshold remains stuck at £90,000 since 2017
Costs have risen 30%+, but VAT still takes 20% of turnover, not profit
Many small shops deliberately stay under the threshold to avoid being punished for growing
This system discourages growth and punishes honesty.
Apprenticeships Should Be a Strength — Not a Strain
At HARE, we are deeply committed to building future talent.
We offer a structured apprenticeship programme, and our apprentices give back to the community with free training cuts, supervised and safe.
But the rising apprenticeship wage (£7.40/hour) and minimal government support are making it harder for salons to keep investing in young people.
If we want skilled, qualified barbers in the future — we need to support the businesses willing to train them now.
A Call to Raise the Standard — For Everyone
Barbering is a personal, hands-on profession. Clients trust us with their appearance, their families, even their children. That trust should be earned.
Yet far too many shops operate with:
No DBS or criminal checks
No formal training
No hygiene inspections
We believe licensing and basic standards should be mandatory — for everyone’s safety and the integrity of the trade.
What Needs to Change (And How Government Can Help)
We’re not here to complain. We’re here to offer solutions, from people who love this industry and want to protect it:
✂️ 1. Lower VAT for barbers and salons
Charge 5–10% VAT on personal care services — this isn’t luxury retail.
💰 2. Raise the VAT threshold
Increase it to £130,000 for labour-intensive businesses so honest shops can grow without punishment.
📝 3. License the industry properly
Require all barbershops to meet clear, consistent standards: tax compliance, DBS checks, hygiene, insurance.
👮 4. Strengthen enforcement
Give councils real tools to identify unregulated business and act, quickly and fairly.
💸 5. Fund apprenticeships better
Offer big tax breaks, grants, or direct wage support to businesses training young people.
🚨 6. Create a support line
Create a support line where businesses can get free tax and legal advice.
📢 7. Educate our kids.
Help the youth understand tax law, legal stipulation, enterprise and health, it might cost us and the country. but it will help our economy grow.
Why It Matters
This is not about targeting individuals. It’s about fairness, safety, and the future of British business.
At HARE, we’ve built something we’re proud of:
🧑🎓 A team of trained professionals and apprentices
🏘️ A community space where people feel welcome
💈 A business that follows the rules, pays its dues, and invests in people
We believe barbering should be a respected, regulated profession, not a race to the bottom. Where kids gets a positive education, not leaving the shop with a vape addiction and a love for gangster tap music.
If you care about quality, fairness, and the future of British barbering, support businesses like ours.
We’re not just cutting hair.
We’re building careers.
We’re protecting standards.
We’re doing it right.
