A new report by Creative UK has revealed the challenges faced by creative industry freelancers.

According to the study, almost two-thirds (64%) of respondents had experienced low or unfair pay in their careers, and “an overwhelming majority” said late payment of invoices had impacted their ability to meet everyday expenses such as rent and household bills.

In other findings, a fifth of freelancers said they had seen a decrease in demand for their services as a result of generative AI, and structural inequalities were highlighted too.

There was a recurring theme of “tokenism” reported by ethnic minority respondents to the survey who said their inclusion in projects felt performative rather than substantive, while the report highlighted barriers for disabled freelancers such as inaccessible application processes and limited workplace adjustments.

Caroline Norbury, chief executive of Creative UK, said:

“The Covid pandemic changed so much about all of our working lives, but this is especially true for freelancers. Many who work in this way have found opportunities to be more precarious than ever. We need to find ways to better support this vital part of the creative workforce, and to create new systems in a post-Covid world.

“This means adapting provision within both the public and private sector to ensure it is more fit for purpose, incentivising the creation of new products and services that support the freelance workforce, and in the process, unlocking the potential of an expert, committed, agile and flexible workforce. It’s vital that we get this right – for creatives, and for the wider economy.”

Among the recommendations in the report were:

• Address the “devaluation” of creative subjects in the school curriculum, allow freelancers to claim tax relief on expenses related to professional development courses, and explore the option of offering grants or a percentage subsidy for CPD costs to reduce the financial burden on freelancers.
• Champion freelancers across government and appoint a freelance commissioner to represent their interests and tackle the challenges they face.
• Strengthen payment protection measures and requirements for invoices to be settled on time to deal with the impact of late payment on freelancers.
• Encourage the publishing of anonymised data on diversity of freelance workforces and pay gaps to help highlight systemic issues, inform targeted interventions and support continuous sector-wide improvement.
• Enhance workplace protections for freelancers such as minimum standards for contracts including payment, schedules, IP rights and termination conditions, and explore how freelancers can access workplace benefits such as pension contributions and sick pay that are not tied to a single employer.

Freelancers are the backbone of the creative industries, accounting for 30% of the sector’s workforce. It’s vital that they are supported.

Bristol Creative Industries freelancers

In the Bristol Creative Industries membership community, we have several hundred freelancers and many business members who employ freelancers. See them in our member directory. If you’re not already a member, you can sign up here.

Collaboration, sharing of ideas and meeting freelancer-friendly employers is a key benefit of the network. We facilitate this at our freelancer networking drinks events at The Square Club in Bristol. They are free for BCI members including a free drink or £5+VAT for non-members.

The next event is on Tuesday 10 June at 5.30pm. Sign up here.

Other freelancer networking drinks events take place in 2025 on 9 September and 11 November.

About Bristol Creative Industries

Bristol Creative Industries is the membership network that supports the region's creative sector to learn, grow and connect, driven by the common belief that we can achieve more collectively than alone.