The National Hair & Beauty Federation (NHBF) today welcomed the appointment of Kate Dearden MP as the new Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State responsible for Personal Care in the Department for Business and Trade, as the sector continues its campaign for fair recognition and support.
Ms Dearden, the Labour and Co-operative Party MP for Halifax since July 2024, brings extensive experience in employment rights, consumer protection, and retail sectors – all key areas affecting the hair & beauty sector, which contributes £9 billion to the UK economy and supports over 275,000 jobs.
Her comprehensive portfolio includes employment rights, labour market enforcement, consumer protection, retail and hospitality, consumer goods, and product safety – areas that directly impact NHBF members across the personal care sector.
Caroline Larissey commented: “We warmly welcome Kate Dearden’s appointment as Minister for Personal Care at a pivotal time for our sector. Her background in employment rights and consumer protection, combined with her experience in retail and hospitality sectors, makes her ideally positioned to understand both the challenges and enormous potential of our sector.
“Through our Respect Our Sector campaign, we’ve been highlighting that the UK hair, beauty, barbering, and aesthetics sector is one of the most important, yet under-recognised sectors in the country. We contribute £9 billion to the economy, support over 275,000 jobs, and strengthen communities every single day – yet our voices have been missing from the table when decisions are made.
“Minister Dearden’s appointment offers a real opportunity to address the systemic issues holding our sector back, including unfair VAT rules, underfunded apprenticeship models, declining apprenticeship numbers and lack of inclusion in government policy making. Our sector represents over 49,000 local businesses that are economic drivers, national assets, wellbeing providers, and the heart of our communities.
“We look forward to working with Minister Dearden to ensure our sector receives the recognition, respect, and fair treatment it truly deserves. This is more than a message – it’s a movement, and we’re ready to engage constructively on policies that will unlock our sectors’ full potential.”
The Respect Our Sector campaign highlights how hair, beauty, barbering, and aesthetic professionals serve as economic drivers, wellbeing providers, and cornerstones of the high street, yet face outdated policies and systemic neglect that prevent the sector from reaching its full potential.