NHBF: Tax reform must go further to protect jobs, apprenticeships and growth

The National Hair & Beauty Federation (NHBF) has responded to the Government’s latest annual tax update, welcoming measures to tackle tax avoidance while calling for wider reform to support the UK’s labour-intensive hair, beauty and barbering sector. The Government’s package of tax and customs measures focuses on tax simplification, modernisation and fairness. While the announcement contains no direct tax relief for high street businesses, it includes proposals aimed at reducing tax fraud, improving digital tax systems and strengthening compliance (ie being legal). Debbie Digby, interim President for the NHF (NHBF), said, “I welcome the Government’s update on tax measures; however, our sector needs the confidence and support to continue employing people, particularly apprentices and young people taking their first steps into work. Hair and beauty businesses are experts at nurturing talent and building careers, but they must also have the economic conditions that enable them to invest in the next generation.” A key proposal within the announcement is action to tackle electronic sales suppression, sometimes referred to as till fraud, where software or payment systems are used to under-report sales. HMRC is consulting on new standards for electronic point of sale (EPOS) and mobile point of sale systems to prevent …