THE UK Hair and Beauty Awards (HBA), widely regarded as the ‘Oscars’ of the hair and beauty industry, is moving its annual ceremony from Birmingham to Manchester for 2026.
Following in the footsteps of the BRIT Awards and other major UK events, organisers have confirmed that the HBA will take place at Manchester’s AO Arena on August 15th, 2026.
Now firmly established as a must-attend date in the industry calendar, the 2026 event marks a major evolution for HBA, expanding for the first time, into a full day, three part industry experience designed to bring together professionals, brands, media and creators like never before.
The day will open with an industry trade show showcasing leading and emerging brands, followed by the UK Hair & Beauty Awards ceremony itself, before concluding with a large scale evening festival and afterparty featuring live entertainment, performances and networking, bringing the entire hair and beauty community together in one landmark event.
Now in its sixth year, the expansion comes as the awards have officially outgrown their previous home at Birmingham’s International Convention Centre (ICC). Founder and CEO Sophie Lux has made what she describes as a ‘big leap’ to Manchester, with ambitions to create the largest hair and beauty event the UK has ever seen, targeting more than 3,000 attendees in 2026.
Lux said: “Manchester is a city that knows how to host world-class events. The BRIT Awards and MTV Awards have already proven that the city can handle big shows, and we want the HBAs to shine on the same stage. Our vision is to make the awards accessible to everyone, and this move allows us to host more people, more safely, and in style. With the AO Arena’s capacity, we have the chance to break records for the largest hair and beauty event ever!
“This is a huge change for us. We’ve held the ceremony at the ICC in Birmingham for the last two years, and moving to a completely new city is a big leap. But Manchester gives us the space, scale, and profile to elevate the HBAs to a new level, following in the footsteps of events like the BRIT Awards. It’s ambitious, it’s exciting, and it’s exactly the right move to put the hair and beauty industry on the map.”
The move follows a standout 2025 ceremony, hosted by TV personality Jake Quickenden, which welcomed nearly 1,800 attendees and featured high-profile guests including Paris Fury and Princess Andre, with a live performance from hit boyband The Wanted 2.0.
Previous events have been supported by a strong roster of respected sponsorship partners including Moonpig, Soft & Gentle, Lee Stafford, Apraise, P20, Crazy Colour, Insync and FYAB. Building on this momentum, HBA is continuing to nurture and grow its brand partnerships for 2026, with Elleebana, Watermans and Ovatu already confirmed, and further high profile sponsors set to be announced in the coming months.
Lux launched the UK Hair and Beauty Awards in 2021 to ‘shake up the industry’, rewarding true talent and excellence rather than handing accolades to the ‘brands with the biggest advertising budgets’.
“While running multiple salons, I saw first-hand how unfair recognition in our industry had become,” she said. “So many incredibly talented professionals were being overlooked simply because awards felt inaccessible, expensive, or biased. I wanted to change that. HBA was created to remove barriers, keep entry fees low, and deliver a transparent, fair process that genuinely celebrates our day-to-day professionals who give everything to this industry and make it what it is.”
An official announcement confirming the 2026 host is expected in the coming months. Lux added: “I cannot wait for this year’s event – it’s going to be our biggest and most exciting yet!”
