I'm chelle, I'm starting a beauty therapy home learning course in the near future, I realise most of this is theoretical but I will be adding practical to this using friends and family throughout the learning stages

I want to do this part time to begin with, evenings and weekends, as I work full time at the moment (nothing to do with beauty industry!) and I have made business cards and a website to get myself known once I qualify. I will be mobile and not working in a salon

I was hoping for a little advice, as I feel a bit clueless on the legal side of things! My concerns are as follows;

* I believe I've to get insurance once I qualify? but because I am only doing this part time and mobile, do I still require this?
* I'm not sure if I have to contact anyone with regards tax (like I would if I applied for a second job e.g in a shop)

Hope someone can advise on the legal side of things?

Eventually I want to be doing this full time, from home but it's something I have always taken an interest in and only now have I had the confidence to go out there and do it! My website also states that I will be part time initially.

I am very enthusiastic about getting into this, and am very excited about completing the course and also finding more courses to add to my treatment list i.e indian head massage - this course is run at my local college. I thought of having a client open night when I have qualified and feel I have done enough practical work to go out and treat people who do not yet know me and at the client night, which I will hold either in my home or rent a hall, I will offer champage, strawberries and maybe a free treatment or show examples of my treatments? Does this sound like a good idea?

Thanks for reading

Yeah that's fine, that's what I thought as anything could happen no matter how careful you are - thanks for that

Hope someone can help with the rest of my queries

You are going to need student insurance to cover you while you are doing your case studies too (the guild can provide this)
from the first time you take payment for any treatment you are classed as self employed whether it is your first or second job, you need to contact your local tax office and give them your start date and they will send out a form for you to fill in (its easy)
you also need to contact your local council and find out about the ins and outs of running a business from your home, the legalities are different in every area,
i would also check out if the course you are thinking of taking is fully accredited and check with different insurance companies if they will insure you with the qualification that you are going to gain as not all of these home learn courses are recognised
you need to get all this sorted out and in place before you start to worry about having an open night hth

The home learning course I am looking to book was this Beauty Therapy Course (OCN Level 2) for just £356: Study at Home with UK Open Learning Distance Learning Correspondence Courses and it mentions insurance with Graham Sykes (hence my asking)

I am brand new to this, but out of all that I have seen, I found this to be the best home learning course

I have not yet booked, so if you have any suggestions on better courses, please let me know

I would ring a few insurance companies independent from the one mentioned as ask them i.e. professional beauty, the beauty guild etc. If they wont cover it then it will give you an idea of the quality of the training.

Once you start to charge clients you need to be registered with the inland revenue(regardless of full time or not).

Thanks, I'll look into insurance and try to find the most suitable course, as nothing is booked yet so still have time to find the best out there

Really enthusiastic about starting up though, looking forward to it although some of it is a bit daunting!

I just want to make sure I do everything right and by the book so I can't get myself into trouble!

[quote=ChelleB;836441]Thanks, I'll look into insurance and try to find the most suitable course, as nothing is booked yet so still have time to find the best out there

Really enthusiastic about starting up though, looking forward to it although some of it is a bit daunting!

I just want to make sure I do everything right and by the book so I can't get myself into trouble! [/quote]

Good for you wanting to make sure you are doing things the right way, here are some contacts for the better insurers for this industry, contact these and ask if you would be able to get insured with them with this qualification, if they say no then you need to find a better course,

professional beauty 01622 740 040

beauty guild 0870 000 4242

babtac 0845 065 9000

let us know your findings as it will help others in the future when they are looking for training

the course actually looks quite good for a home learn course but sadly many insurance companies will not cover u as u have had no hands on practical training . many home courses require u to do practical training after and to pay for this to . I read through the details in the link you gave and it said that this course basically puts you in good staed to lead on to other courses . This course doesnt look like its been acredited with the guild etc and only one insurance broker is mentioned which i havnt heard of .

Cool, right looks like I'll have to look further into this


I'll find a few courses and give those numbers a call and hopefully find the best course

You should also contact your mortgage company or whoever owns the house and if you are going mobile you will need business insurance on your car.