The beauty and hair industry was estimated to added 50k jobs to the UK economy in 2017 and we are interested to hear whether this encouraging target has been achieved. Highlighted in a report in Business Matters the forecast was split between salons and barbers, who predicted a headcount rise of 16,738, and hair and beauty businesses, who were expected take on an extra 31,188 apprentices. The increase sits against a positive background for the professional beauty sector: Beauty Britain’s report revealed that 64% of the hair and beauty business felt more confident than they had the previous year, and this optimism was highest in the West and East Midlands, the North West and Northern Ireland.