Hairdressers in Britain are facing a crisis as it seems that fewer and fewer people prefer the profession of hairdresser.

In particular, Gen Z is avoiding the profession with the number of trainees enrolling in hairdressing courses to have decreased by 70% the last decade. This, combined with the lockdowns that have put many salons on busy roads, means people in the UK could face longer waits for an appointment in the future.

It’s becoming almost “impossible” to recruit new stylists, Josh Wood, a hairdresser and founder of a leading salon in west London, tells the Guardian website. “It’s a brilliant, brilliant career. Which took me from a council estate in Barnsley to owning a large and profitable business. But taking on someone is now very difficult. The talent pool is getting smaller and smaller.”

Only in England the number of trainees enrolling in hairdressing courses decreased from 13,180 in 2015 to 4,160 in 2023based on data from the Ministry of Education. Last year, 1,520 students in England completed their education, up from 8,660 in 2015.

“It’s tragic,” says Millie Kendall, chief executive of the British Beauty Council. “Britain is recognized around the world for the quality of its haircuts and the skill of its hairdressers, but this is under threat.”

One of the issues, according to industry experts, is that hairdressing is seen by young people as a low paying profession. The closure of many salons is also an important issue. While barbers, nail bars and beauty salons are all on the rise, the number of hairdressers is declining. According to the Local Data Company, the total number of salons decreased by 319 in Great Britain in the year to July 1, 2024, while they were added more than 1,000 beauty salons and nail care.

After the financial strain caused by long periods of closure during the pandemic, the UK hairdressing industry has struggled to rebuild its fortunes. Salons have had to raise their prices, sometimes multiple times, but have struggled to pass on to customers the magnitude of increases in business costs such as energy and wages during the cost of living crisis.

Hair salons are “an integral part of all our communities,” says Caroline Larissey, chief executive of the National Hair and Beauty Federation, the industry’s largest trade association. .

Larissey adds that there is a need to recognize and support the roles of hair and beauty as viable career options for young people. “As a nation we must collectively respect the importance of our sector, both for its economic contribution to the economy and the well-being of the country”.