Most salon owners are unaware they’re sitting on a goldmine of funding opportunities. By leveraging pots of government funding, like the Adult Skills Fund (ASF), Apprenticeships, and Advanced Learner Loans you can grow your team, boost profits, and expand your business, often without paying a penny upfront.
To make the most of these opportunities, I use the R.O.A.D. to Funding method, a simple framework that helps salon owners become funder-ready and strategic
R – Review Your Goals
Start by identifying what you need: new team members, in-house trainers, or CPD opportunities for your stylists. Clear goals help you choose the right funding stream.
O – Outline the Funding Opportunities
Let’s break down the top three funding pots available to you:
1. Adult Skills Fund (ASF)
ASF supports training for adults aged 19+, especially in industries with skill shortages – like hair, nails, and beauty. You can partner with a provider to offer fully funded short courses, which serve as a recruitment funnel or a staff upskilling opportunity.
2. Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are ideal for hiring junior staff and training them on the job. The government covers the full cost of the qualification for smaller businesses, and you may also receive incentive payments for each apprentice. This significantly reduces wage pressure while helping you build a loyal, skilled team.
But apprenticeships aren’t just for juniors – they’re also a powerful way to upskill your existing team. You could train your receptionist in marketing, improve your team’s customer service, or develop a senior stylist into a mentor who can help manage day-to-day operations. All of this can be funded through apprenticeship programs – up to 95% funded in most cases.
Just imagine: if your receptionist brings in more clients through marketing, she’s no longer just an overhead – she’s a revenue-generating asset. There are even sales and leadership apprenticeships available to help you grow your business from the inside out.
3. Advanced Learner Loans
These are ideal for experienced stylists who want to become educators or assessors or add L3 L4 or L5 treatments to their skill set. The learner takes out a government-backed loan to cover their course, and you gain a qualified in-house trainer or multi trained stylist or therapist. You can even build an additional income stream by becoming a delivery partner.
A – Align With Funder Expectations
Funders require compliance: proper paperwork, tracking, safeguarding, and qualified tutors. When you align with these expectations, you become a credible partner and eligible for more opportunities.
D – Deliver With Confidence
Set up the right systems to run funded training without added stress. Partner with providers, use templates for induction and tracking, and train your team to deliver high-quality learning experiences.
Real-World Results
One of my clients used ASF to run free community taster sessions. From those, she recruited two apprentices and helped a senior stylist qualify as a tutor using an Advanced Learner Loan. That stylist now leads her training delivery and the salon brings in over £50K in extra funded revenue per year.
Ready to Start?
1. Review your staffing and training needs
2. Start with one pot of funding
3. Partner with an expert or provider
4. Build simple systems to stay compliant
5. Grow your salon with recurring, sustainable revenue
Government funding isn’t just for big colleges. It’s for salon owners who want to grow smarter, not harder. Use the R.O.A.D. to Funding to tap into this free support – and future-proof your business.
https://www.tnbskillstraining.co.uk/
