The test is still “wholly and exclusively” for the trade. If something is mixed use, claim the business share and write down how you split it. You cannot claim the trading allowance of £1,000 and actual expenses in the same year.
Stock and kit are the hairdresser’s version of a builder’s materials. Chair rent is rent. Training that keeps you in this trade is usually fine. A fashion wardrobe is not.
What hairdressers can usually claim
| Expense | Claimable? | Notes | Keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chair rent or salon desk rental | Usually yes | Weekly fee or percentage. Turnover is still the client total. | Salon invoices |
| Colour, bleach, treatments used on clients | Usually yes | Materials of the trade. | Salon suppliers, Amazon, wholesaler invoices |
| Scissors, dryers, tongs, trolley | Usually yes | Tools. Larger kit can go through AIA. | Receipts |
| Mobile mileage to clients | Usually yes | 55p a mile for the first 10,000 business miles in 2026/27 if you use simplified expenses. Not the school run. | Mileage log |
| Booking apps and card fees | Usually yes | Fresha, Treatwell commission, SumUp. | App statements |
| Insurance (public liability, treatment) | Usually yes | Business policies. | Schedule |
| Courses in colour, cutting, extensions | Usually yes | Improving the current trade. | Invoices |
| Towels and gowns you buy | Usually yes | If you provide them. | Receipts |
| Home washing machine (share) for mobile work | Sometimes | A fair share if you launder towels for the business. Not the whole household bill. | Note of the split |
| Salon clothes and shoes | No | Ordinary clothing. Branded uniform that is genuinely only for work can be different. | n/a |
| Your own colour and cuts | No | Personal. | n/a |
| Client coffee and prosecco | No | Entertaining is blocked. | n/a |
Open a printable checklist for this trade.
What you cannot claim
- Everyday clothes and shoes, even “all black for the salon”.
- Travel from home to a salon you work in most days.
- Your own hair, colour, and nails.
- Parking fines.
- Childcare so you can work. That is not a business expense (other reliefs may exist, but not here).
Trade-specific traps
- Using Treatwell payouts as turnover when those figures are already net of commission. Either declare gross and claim the commission, or be consistent and do not claim it twice.
- Mobile and salon in the same year with no split of mileage versus commute.
- Colour “shrinkage” you cannot explain because you never counted stock.
- Assuming the salon’s accountant files for chair renters. They file for the salon.
- Claiming a whole car because you are mobile, then also claiming 55p a mile.
Records that actually help in this trade
App payouts plus a cash book will cover most chair renters. Mobile stylists need a mileage log more than they need fancy software: date, client area, miles, purpose. Keep colour invoices. If you buy in bulk, a simple stock note at 5 April stops you claiming unused product twice.
Mileage, if you use simplified expenses in 2026/27, is 55p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles, then 25p. That replaced 45p from 6 April 2026. Ordinary commuting is still not claimable. See the mileage guide and home office costs.
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Common questions
Is colour I have not used yet claimable?
Under cash basis you usually claim when you pay for it. Keep it honest. A cupboard of unused stock you claimed last year should not be claimed again.
Can I claim a course in another country?
If it improves your current hairdressing, the course and necessary travel can be allowable. A holiday with a one-hour seminar attached will not be.