Recommendation 7

HM Government Accepted

The self-employed workforce is crucial to the success of the UK’s world-leading creative industries. These sectors have over double the number of self-employed workers as a proportion of the workforce compared to the rest of the economy, and there are many benefits associated with this including responsiveness and high levels of innovation. Self-employed workers represent at least a fifth of the creative industries workforce in every region in the UK, with proportions particularly high in the North East, South West, and Wales. Being self-employed can offer potential benefits such as flexibility and control. The Good Work Review shows that 72% of workers in the creative industries claimed autonomy over their hours, compared to 52% across the economy overall. The government recognises that being self-employed can also come with challenges such as not having access to statutory sick pay. We recognise that many self-employed workers in the creative industries would value greater job security. The government is committed to considering the voices of the self-employed as we develop policy for the creative industries. The Plan to Make Work Pay sets out an ambitious agenda to ensure employment rights are fit for a modern economy, empower working people and contribute to economic growth. Once implemented, it will represent the biggest upgrade of workers’ rights in a generation. As part of this work, we want to strengthen rights and protections to help self-employed people thrive. This includes the right to a written contract, action to tackle late payments, and extending health and safety and blacklisting protections to self-employed workers. We also recognise the importance of a voice for the self-employed in policy-making, including in the creative sectors. DCMS and its public bodies are taking proactive steps to support them. We will work closely with the sector to deliver positive change for the workforce. The Good Work Review, published in February 2023, made a number of recommendations for change. We continue to engage with trade unions, creator representatives and the self-employed sector regularly, and are working closely with industry to respond to the Good Work Review. The Good Work Review Task and Finish Group, chaired by Ben Roberts, was convened to develop an action plan to address the recommendations. Sub-groups are focussing on five proposals including: Launching a Good Work Sector Support Programme, Developing a Good Work accreditation scheme, Exploring the inclusion of Good Work principles in public and Lottery funding conditionality, Developing a behaviour change campaign, and Establishing a Creative industries IP Education and Advocacy Programme. The sub-groups will implement the five proposals by March 2026. The government will be involved in the discussions. The British Film Institute tendered their £1.5 million Good Work Sector Support Programme for screen in January 2024, which will offer a pilot programme. The sub-group looking to establish an IP Education and Advocacy Programme for the self-employed is expected to discuss proposals for a Freelance Commissioner. We are also reviewing options across Government departments, identifying where pan-economy support for the self-employed is already in place, and where the creative industries self-employed workforce faces specific challenges. This will include meeting with key stakeholders. The establishment of the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA), a specific recommendation in the Good Work Review, is a welcome development from the sector. The government looks forward to CIISA supporting the review’s recommendations, including in tackling and preventing bullying, harassment and discriminatory behaviours.