The Challenge: Freelancers at Risk

The UK screen sector is worried about losing its precariously employed freelancers. Could innovative tax & benefits policies help? If we had a Basic Income or housing support for creatives, would income insecurity matter less and talent be more likely to stay in the industry? Which policies would particularly support working parents, disabled freelancers or freelancers on lower incomes, like those just starting out in screen?

Global Insights for Local Solutions

This project, led by the British Screen Forum and Film & TV Charity, modelled tax & benefits ideas from Germany, France, South Korea, Spain, Ireland and Sweden to see how they would affect freelancers’ disposable income. It was funded by British Screen Forum, Film & TV Charity, Creative Industries PEC, BFI, Bectu, Equity, Directors UK and the Production Guild of Great Britain. The research was undertaken by Doris Ruth Eikhof (Design Otherwise & University of Glasgow) and Hannah Randolph (Fraser of Allander Institute, University of Strathclyde).