Manifesto: Freelancing in the Creative Industries

In this series, we reflect on the one-year anniversary of Creative UK’s Manifesto for change. ‘Our Creative Future’ was published just months before the UK General Election that would bring about a new Labour Government. 

So much has happened in that time, but one thing has remained constant: Creative UK has been using its voice to shout loudly about the issues we laid out as priority – and those which matter to our members, our partners, the businesses we work with and invest in, and the sector.  

So what, if anything has moved on in the last year? This week, we’ll be posting about each priority area from our Manifesto in turn, taking a deep dive into what we said, why it matters, and what has happened so far. 

Today, we’re focusing on Freelancing.  

We said: “Unleash creative freelancers’ potential to build more sustainable careers, by modelling better ways of working”

Key developments: 

Labour has introduced its flagship Employment Rights Bill (October 2024) – marking the biggest overhaul of UK labour laws in years. The bill promises to ban exploitative zero-hours contracts by giving over 1 million zero-hours workers the right to a guaranteed-hours contract if they work regular hours (while allowing those who prefer zero-hours to opt to stay) . It also bans most ‘fire and rehire’ practices, extends protections from day one (covering unfair dismissal, sick pay, and parental leave rights from the first day of a job) and creates a new Fair Work Agency to enforce rights like holiday pay.   

These measures, part of Labour’s New Deal for Working People should benefit many in the creative sector who juggle gigs and short-term contracts. However, unions have noted some pledges will take time to consult on and implement – for example, defining a single “worker” status to cover freelancers remains a complex task still under review.  

Crackdown on late payments: early signals suggest Labour is targeting the chronic issue of late payments to small businesses and freelancers.  Ministers have pledged action to ensure the self-employed are paid on time. The Employment Rights Bill itself includes steps to bolster ‘one-sided flexibility’ rights and industry observers expect additional proposals in 2025 to protect freelance workers from cash-flow crises caused by payment delays. 

Creative UK’s new Forging Freelance Futures report highlights ongoing challenges for the UK’s 3+ million freelancers. Two-thirds (66%) of surveyed freelancers in creative industries say they’re getting less work post-pandemic, citing factors like economic uncertainty, commissioning slowdowns, and even the rise of AI reducing some opportunities. 64% report facing low or unfair pay over their careers, with many noting that late payments make it hard to cover rent and bills . The survey also revealed structural inequities – freelancers from ethnic minority backgrounds reported tokenism (being hired to fulfill diversity quotas), while disabled freelancers face barriers like inaccessible application processes and lack of workplace adjustments.  

Creative UK and sector unions are urging the government to adopt targeted reforms for the self-employed. The Creative UK report recommends establishing a dedicated Freelance Commissioner to champion freelancer interests across all industries. It also calls for creating portable benefits, extending collective bargaining rights and embedding business skills in arts education to prepare graduates for freelance careers. BECTU and the Writers’ Guild have echoed these calls, stressing that freelancers make up a huge share of the creative workforce and need better safety nets. In response, Labour ministers have indicated support in principle – the unique needs of freelancers must be addressed – but have not yet announced a specific Freelance Commissioner role.  

The government has signalled it will consult on moving toward a single employment status (“worker”) covering all but the genuinely self-employed . This could simplify the current three-tier system (employee, worker, self-employed) and extend basic rights to many gig workers currently classified as contractors. Creative freelancers are watching this closely: it could bring benefits like holiday pay and pensions to those in the grey area between employment and self-employment. However, groups like the Musicians’ Union warn that any new status must be flexible enough to accommodate multiple income streams (common for creatives) so that, for example, writers don’t lose secondary royalty incomes due to unintended consequences. This review is in early stages – Labour postponed immediate action on status reform to allow careful consultation through 2025.  

So how do creatives feel? 

We asked our members, Bectu. Commenting on the issue, Phillipa Childs said: 

“Freelancers are at the core of the UK’s world leading creative industries. But they face a unique set of challenges and continue to get a raw deal, battling the ebbs and flows of the business cycle and lacking many of the protections that employees enjoy.   

“At a time where the Government are undertaking major changes to improve conditions for employees through their plan to Make Work Pay, it is essential that the freelance workforce who underpin the creative economy are not left behind.  

“Alongside other industry voices, including Creative UK, and the CMS committee, Bectu are calling for a dedicated freelance commissioner who would help ensure that upcoming employment reforms are fit not only for more traditional forms of employment, but for the self-employed and freelance workforce.” 

Our members, DACS said:  

“DACS joins Creative UK in supporting calls for a Freelancer Commissioner. In September, the Government’s response to the CMS committee’s Creator Remuneration report confirmed that this proposal would be assessed by the Good Work Review Task and Finish Group, led by DCMS and the BFI, as part of a sub-group looking to establish an IP Education and Advocacy Programme for the self-employed.  

“Amidst the fierce debates about the future of copyright protection and creative livelihoods one thing is certain – the Labour government must do more to support freelance creatives, and enabling them to monetise their IP is essential in this. That’s why DACS has continued to campaign for the introduction of the Smart Fund, as recommended by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee. This could inject £300m into the UK’s creative industries without cost to treasury or taxpayer, and accelerate Labour’s pledge to grow the creative sector.”