Tax for hairdressers and beauticians

Whether you rent a chair, work from home, or go mobile, if you're self-employed in hair or beauty your tax is your own to sort. Here's what you can claim and what you need to file.

Renting a chair or a room usually makes you self-employed rather than employed — which means Self Assessment. If you earned more than £1,000 from it in the tax year, you'll need to file a return, and you'll pay tax on your profit after costs.

How much tax will you actually pay?

You're taxed on your profit — your income after allowable costs — not on everything you take. For the 2026/27 tax year:

• The first £12,570 is tax-free (your personal allowance).
• 20% income tax on profit between £12,570 and £50,270.
• 6% Class 4 National Insurance on that same slice — Class 2 is treated as paid automatically.
• Above £50,270 it steps up to 40% tax and 2% National Insurance.

A worked example. Say you take £22,000 and, after chair rent, products and kit, your profit is £16,000 — your only income. Nothing on the first £12,570, then 20% tax on the £3,430 above it (£686) and 6% Class 4 NI (£206) — about £892 for the year.

If you also have an employed job, that salary usually uses your personal allowance first, so more of your self-employed profit is taxed — we work out both sides together. Our how-much-tax guide has the full breakdown.

Costs you can usually claim

• Chair or room rent you pay to the salon.
• Products and stock — colour, tints, styling products, nails, wax and everything you use or sell.
• Tools and equipment — scissors, clippers, dryers, chairs, beds and lamps — and replacing them.
• Uniform, aprons and PPE (not everyday clothes).
• Insurance and professional memberships.
• Training that keeps your existing skills up to date.
• Travel between clients if you're mobile — 55p per mile for the first 10,000 miles, 25p after — plus your booking system and phone.

How to file, step by step

• 1. Register with HMRC for Self Assessment by 5 October after the tax year you started. You'll get a UTR (Unique Taxpayer Reference). Here's how →
• 2. Keep records through the year — what you earned, and receipts for what you spent.
• 3. File your return online by 31 January (or on paper by 31 October). The dates that matter →
• 4. Pay what you owe by 31 January.

Making Tax Digital

Making Tax Digital is already here: since 6 April 2026 it applies if your gross self-employment and property income — your turnover, before expenses — was over £50,000. The threshold drops to £30,000 in April 2027 and £20,000 in April 2028. It means keeping digital records and sending HMRC a short update every quarter — 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May — on top of your year-end return. We handle all of that so you can stay behind the chair.

Common questions

Do you pay tax if you rent a chair? Yes — renting a chair or room usually makes you self-employed, so if you earn over £1,000 in a tax year you file a Self Assessment return and pay tax on your profit.

What can hairdressers and beauticians claim? Chair or room rent, products and stock, tools and equipment, uniform and PPE, insurance and memberships, training that maintains your skills, and travel between clients if you're mobile.

How much tax will I pay? No tax on the first £12,570, then 20% tax and 6% Class 4 National Insurance on profit above it. On £16,000 of profit that's about £892 for the year.

This guide is general information, not personal tax advice. Figures are for the 2026/27 tax year and can change at each Budget — always confirm the current numbers on GOV.UK or ask us to check your situation.