COVID-19 Support for Creators
Policy Submission for Spring Budget 2021.
On behalf of members, the CRA submitted a policy briefing outlining the steps the government must take in the upcoming spring budget to support creators during this difficult time.
To protect and promote our world-leading creative industries, the government must step up and offer sector-specific support, not just for cultural and creative institutions but for the workers who are the lifeblood of the industry.
Summary of Recommendations:
Level up of support for self-employed creative freelancers who make up a significant proportion of the workforce.
Extend the Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (JRS) beyond April 2021.
Expand the strict eligibility criteria of the SEISS and ensure that the fourth grant is maintained at the same level as the JRS.
Establish a Creators Council to improve engagement with the individual creative workforce and help tackle unfair practices in the creative industries.
Maintain the £20 per week Universal Credit uplift and keep the suspension of the Minimum Income Floor.
Extend the reduced 5% VAT rate and the VAT deferral scheme.
Ensure that there is specific and targeted support for creators still required to shield when the industry reopens.
Increase funding for Public Lending Right (PLR).
Leading creative membership organisations and trade unions call on Chancellor to fix the flawed SEISS and protect our world-leading creative industries.
Speaking on behalf of almost 350,000 creative professionals the Creators’ Rights Alliance (CRA) and its members are calling on the government to offer tailored support to hard-hit creators and ensure the safe reopening of indoor venues supporting creators safely back to work.
Creators continue to face real hardship as a result of the pandemic. Practically overnight they saw an end to live performances and a significant reduction in commissions, leaving many creators with a considerable reduction or complete suspension of income.
Creators who rely on live performers such as performers, playwrights, composers, journalists, photographers, illustrators and technical operators have seen a freeze in commissions covering sporting, cultural, musical and theatrical events.
Over 20% of all self-employed people in the UK work in the cultural and creative industries. The letter highlights the difficulties facing self-employed creators particularly with the shortcomings in the Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) and its strict eligibility criteria which has left many without any form of support for months.
In a letter the CRA and its members are calling for:
Parity between employees and the self-employed by providing the same level of support by increasing the existing level of support provided by the SEISS and expanding the eligibility criteria;
the government to extend the suspension of the Minimum Income Floor of Universal Credit (UC) until the creative sector is able to open fully;
·the government to offer sector specific support, not just for cultural and creative institutions but for the workers who sustain the creative industries;
the implementation of a new scheme to facilitate the reopening of venues and theatres under social distancing to get live performers safely back to work, providing a much-needed lifeline for the arts sector.
“As the UK enters the second wave of COVID-19 restrictions there are serious concerns amongst our members as to the long-term impact on the creative industries and on creators, particularly regarding the future viability of our world-leading creative industries. “