Beat the Budget: How UK Salons Remain Resilient During Tough Times

The 2025 budget introduces significant changes that will affect salon owners throughout the United Kingdom.

With rising employment costs, reduced tax reliefs, and increases to minimum wage, hair salons face mounting pressure to protect their profitability and sustain their business models. By embracing smart salon solutions like Vish, you can not only survive — but thrive — during these challenging times.

The Economic Challenges Facing UK Salon Owners

The UK Labour government’s recent Autumn Statement unveiled several fiscal changes that will impact small businesses, including salons, in 2025. Here are the most significant updates:

Minimum Wage Hikes

• The National Living Wage will increase to £12.21/hour.
• Rates for younger workers and apprentices will rise, with apprentices seeing a 17% jump in hourly wages.

Increased Employer Costs

• Employer National Insurance Contributions will rise from 13.8% to 15%.
• The secondary threshold for National Insurance will drop from £9,100 to £5,000, increasing employer liability.

Reduced Business Rate Discounts

• The current 75% discount on business rates will be reduced to 40%, significantly raising costs.

How Vish Helps Salons Thrive

Vish is a smart salon scale software and colour management system designed to maximise profitability by ensuring salons charge accurately for every service. When costs rise, Vish helps you maximise your profits, offset cost increases, and future-proof your business:

1. Accurate Pricing for Colour Services

By separating time and product costs, Vish ensures salons charge clients correctly for every gram of colour used. 

2. Improved Profit Margins

With Vish, UK salons save an average of £15,000 annually by minimising product waste and capturing lost revenue. 

3. Data-Driven Decisions

Vish provides actionable insights into service profitability, enabling salon owners to make informed decisions about pricing, staffing, and operations.

4. Retaining Your Team and Clients

Rising costs are forcing many salons to cut staff or shift to self-employment models, but Vish helps maintain profitability without resorting to these drastic measures.

Learn How Salons Like Yours Are Beating the Budget: Download the Latest White Paper

Despite current economic challenges, forward-thinking salon owners are turning to smart salon solutions like Vish to ensure profitability and future-proof their businesses.

Download the white paper that profiles five UK salons that have unlocked not only how to tackle their rising costs but also invest in growing their business and team. These stories provide practical insights and actionable strategies to help you make 2025 your most profitable year yet!