Like most workers and employees, freelancers are mainly concerned with financial security. Having financial stability alleviates many of the challenges reported by freelancers: poor mental health, a lack of career development, inability to manage risk, the effects of social or economic marginalisation, etc. Value for money underpins many freelancers’ choices, from whether to join a union, to seeking out additional training, to what jobs they take on and the equipment they invest in. 

Unlike those with full-time jobs, screen industry freelancers face an ever more unstable business landscape that is far more likely to change rapidly as a result of economic volatility coming from abroad. A summary of the impact upon the UK film and tv industry of recent market shocks originating abroad was covered in a previous article from this series.  

Global economic turmoil is not the whole story, however. Beyond the boom and bust of the film and television industries worldwide, freelancers are also affected by the cost-of-living crisis, the taxation system in the UK, and the design of social welfare systems.  

The current Universal Credit system that provides support for the unemployed is not designed for short-term freelance work. Self-employed freelancers who find themselves out of work often need immediate, short term financial support to make ends meet given the inconsistency of project-based employment in UK film and TV. 

During the pandemic, forced out-of-work freelancers found themselves ignored by the furlough scheme developed by the then chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak, for which he was heavily criticised. The current Government has begun to recognise the mounting problem of freelancers’ pension, or rather the lack of one, as well as the difficulty freelancers face in being approved for mortgages.  

As the Government is working on the implementation of its ambitious industrial strategy, there is a unique opportunity to consider freelancers in designing new policies. In this Report, it was proposed the Government appoint a dedicated Minister for Self-Employment and Precarious Workers to advocate for freelancers within the film and tv industry and beyond, an estimated 3 million UK taxpayers, or 13% of the workforce (not including PAYE freelancers).  

The Report suggested that this Minister should work across Government departments and agencies, as our research made it evident that freelancers need support HM Treasury, and the Department for Business and Trade as well as the Department for Culture, Media and Sport that currently supports them. Several organisations have been calling for a Freelance Commissioner or Tsar over the past few years. These roles can bring issues to the attention of the Government and provide advice, but they lack the legislative power and cross-departmental influence necessary to drive substantial change in policy decisions. For instance, a Minister could appoint urgent reviews of current forms of taxation, classification and financial support available to freelance workers. The Report’s authors took inspiration from the appointment of the Minister of State for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education, who made significant changes to rules and regulations by actively engaging with industry needs and transforming those insights into meaningful legislation. 

Since this Report was published, the Government has committed to appointing a creative freelance champion. While the responsibilities of the role are still being discussed in Parliament and the House of Lords, the Minister for Creative Industries and Arts Chris Bryant has confirmed this individual is expected to work across government departments.  

The creative freelance champion must bridge the gap between Government policy and the realities of screen industry freelance work. The progress being made through the implementation of industry-led standards, outlined in a previous article, should be supported and strengthened by governmental action. 

To make any difference to the lives of freelancers, this role cannot be a merely symbolic advisor, but a meaningful appointment with the authority and resources to enact tangible change. This individual should also have direct experience of working in or closely alongside the screen industry. 

Advocacy for self-employed and precarious workers within government must translate into policy decisions that produce concrete improvements in their working lives and financial security. 

The creative freelancer champion must have a proactive and empowered approach to safeguarding workers’ rights and a mandate for change. If the Government heed the advice of multiple industry stakeholders, there is an opportunity to create a more stable, reputable, and legally sound UK film and television sector, significantly mitigating potential financial and legal risks for screen businesses and freelancers in the long term.