UK Film and TV Workforce Crisis Deepens as 75% Consider Leaving Industry

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Overview: Workforce Crisis Deepens

A major new report from The Film and TV Charity — Britain’s leading support organisation for people working behind the camera and on productions — finds that the UK’s film, television and cinema workforce is under severe strain, with nearly three-quarters (about 74%) of respondents saying they have seriously considered leaving the industry in the past year. (Televisual)

Key Report: The Money Matters Survey

  • Based on responses from more than 2,000 UK film and TV workers, the charity’s Money Matters report highlights how financial instability is pushing many toward exiting the industry. (Televisual)
  • 74% say they’ve considered leaving due to ongoing challenges — up sharply from previous years. (screenglobalproduction.com)
  • A striking 43% have already taken concrete steps to leave the industry, compared with 32% in 2023. (Televisual)
  • 22% reported “sustained worklessness” — meaning they had worked fewer than three months in the past year. (Televisual)

The charity describes the situation as an escalating threat to the workforce, driven by fragile work patterns, insecure freelance rights, and financial insecurity that many feel unable to weather. (C21media)

Case Study: Financial Pressure & Job Scarcity

 Freelance Vulnerability

  • Freelancers, who make up a large proportion of the screen industry, are particularly impacted:
    • 46% of freelancers find it difficult to manage financially vs 27% of permanent staff. (Televisual)
    • Many have large gaps between jobs, averaging seven months of unemployment for those with sustained worklessness. (Televisual)

 Savings & Retirement Shortfalls

  • A significant number are unable to save:
    • 36% have less than £1,000 in savings.
    • 56% are not saving into a pension — rising to 63% among freelancers. (Advanced Television)

 Longer-Term Impacts

These trends not only cause short-term stress but threaten career longevity:

  • Savings depletion, lack of pensions, and unstable earnings push many toward alternative careers or exiting the sector permanently. (Advanced Television)

Case Study: Mental Health & Workplace Culture

Although the Money Matters survey was focused on financial resilience, it reflects wider issues that link into ongoing mental health concerns:

  • Previous research from The Film and TV Charity’s Looking Glass survey — based on thousands of responses — showed that:
    • 63% of workers said their work negatively affected their mental wellbeing.
    • 64% had considered leaving the industry due to mental health concerns alone. (The Guardian)

 Recent Industry Response

In late February 2026, The Film and TV Charity unveiled industry-wide mental health principles backed by major broadcasters and studios to support wellbeing and healthier work environments — a response to alarming rates of stress, burnout, and workforce losses. (The Guardian)

Workforce & Industry Comments

 From Industry Leaders

  • Marcus Ryder, CEO of The Film and TV Charity, has warned that without meaningful, coordinated action, the industry faces a loss of essential talent and creative expertise that underpins UK screen production. (C21media)

 Broader Community Reaction

Industry union Bectu has repeatedly highlighted deep workforce challenges — including persistent unemployment, long work droughts, and mental health struggles — and warned that these could lead to a “huge skills exodus” and damage diversity and resilience in the sector. (Bectu)

Underlying Causes Behind the Crisis

Production Downturn After U.S. Strikes

  • Surveys around 2023–2024 showed that a high proportion of UK screen workers were out of work and that recovery has been slow, further depressing job opportunities. (Televisual)

Precarious Freelance Work

  • Film and TV relies heavily on freelance contracts with little job security, which makes periods with fewer productions particularly damaging. (uwe.ac.uk)

Poor Working Conditions

  • Issues like long hours, inconsistent pay, and power imbalances contribute to burnout and attrition, according to wider industry research. (Workplace Wellbeing Professional)

Why This Matters

The sector is one of the UK’s most culturally and economically valuable creative industries — globally influential and a major source of jobs and innovation. But:

  • Workforce instability and attrition risk shrinking available skilled talent and undermining future production capacity.
  • Persistent financial vulnerability discourages new entrants and drives experienced professionals to other fields.
  • Mental health challenges interlinked with job insecurity make retaining people harder.

Experts warn that without systemic change in employment practices, rights for freelancers, mental health support, and financial protections, the UK may struggle to sustain a diverse, resilient screen industry workforce for the years ahead. (C21media)

Here’s a case-study and commentary-oriented breakdown of the deepening UK film and TV workforce crisis, based on the Film and TV Charity’s latest Money Matters 2 report and industry reactions:

Case Study 1 — Film and TV Charity’s Money Matters 2 Report

Background & Scope
The Film and TV Charity’s Money Matters 2 report was published in early 2026, drawing on more than 2,000 responses from UK film, TV, and cinema workers about their financial wellbeing and career intentions. It’s recognised as a major barometer of workforce sentiment across the screen sectors. (The Film and TV Charity)

Key Findings – Workforce Instability

  • 74% of respondents have considered leaving the film and TV industry over the last 12 months because of financial worries. (The Film and TV Charity)
  • 43% have taken “firm steps” toward leaving — this includes actions like interviewing for non-industry roles or applying for jobs outside the sector. (The Film and TV Charity)
  • The proportion considering leaving has increased significantly since the first survey in 2023 (32%), showing that concerns have intensified rather than eased. (The Film and TV Charity)

Work Scarcity & Job Patterns

  • 22% reported “sustained worklessness”, meaning they were out of work at the time of the survey and had worked fewer than three months in the past year. (The Film and TV Charity)
  • For those affected, the average gap between jobs was about seven months. (The Film and TV Charity)

Freelancers Most Affected

  • 46% of freelancers are struggling financially, compared with 27% of permanent staff. (The Film and TV Charity)
  • Freelance roles — a large portion of the UK screen industry workforce — face irregular work patterns and unpredictable earnings, contributing heavily to overall instability.

Financial Vulnerability Highlights

  • More than half of workers are not saving into a pension, and many have very low cash savings (36% have less than £1,000). (The Film and TV Charity)
  • These financial fragilities make long-term career sustainability difficult and increase pressure to leave the industry.

What the Figures Suggest
The report presents a picture where precarious work, limited financial resilience, and short earnings bursts are pushing large segments — especially freelancers — toward the brink of exiting the industry, with important implications for the future workforce, diversity, and creative talent pipeline. (The Film and TV Charity)

Case Study 2 — Freelancers & Structural Impacts

Freelance Reality
A separate Bectu workforce survey and related research highlight the huge impact of boom-bust work cycles on freelancers:

  • At times, 75% of freelancers were reported out of work during downturns following US strikes, reflecting how external events magnify workforce fragility. (uwe.ac.uk)
  • Freelance instability is closely linked with financial stress, reduced wellbeing, and decisions to seek careers outside the sector.

Long-Term Impacts
These patterns not only reduce current employment but also influence career decisions and life planning for many — including saving for retirement or having financial security. (The Film and TV Charity)

Workforce & Industry Comments

Industry Leadership

  • Marcus Ryder, CEO of The Film and TV Charity, warned that without meaningful, coordinated action, the creative industries risk losing “not just individuals but the collective expertise and creative excellence that power the UK’s screen industries.” (Screen Daily)

Broader Reactions

  • Trade unions and workforce advocates emphasise that unstable employment, lack of benefits, and cycles of short-term work create a “talent drain”, particularly among freelancers and under-represented groups. (LinkedIn)
  • Where jobs are slow to recover after events like strikes, many professionals find inconsistent earnings and sparse opportunities lead them to look for more secure work outside film and TV.

Industry-Wide Initiatives (Response)

To address these issues and reduce attrition:

  • The charity has introduced “Principles for Mentally Healthy Productions”, developed with major broadcasters and studios, to improve wellbeing and support for workers. (RTTNews)
  • Organisations such as Creative UK, Work Wise for Screen and industry groups are exploring freelancer-focused pension models and support programs to build longer-term resilience. (The Film and TV Charity)

Why This Matters — Structural Workforce Crisis

1. Workforce Sustainability Under Threat

High rates of people thinking about leaving — and many acting on those thoughts — indicate the industry may struggle to retain and attract talent, especially freelancers and experienced workers. (The Film and TV Charity)

2. Diversity & Inclusion Risks

When income is unstable and job opportunities are unpredictable, those without financial safety nets — such as freelancers, people from less affluent backgrounds, and marginalised groups — are disproportionately affected, making the industry less diverse and equitable. (LinkedIn)

3. Long-Term Creative Impact

If the industry fails to address structural issues like pay volatility, pension insecurity, and erratic work patterns, this could undermine the UK’s global reputation for creative excellence and innovation, with fewer skilled professionals available to make content. (The Film and TV Charity)

Summary

The Money Matters 2 report paints a stark picture of a workforce under strain — with nearly three-quarters considering leaving the UK film and TV industry mainly due to financial insecurity, and almost half already taking action toward that exit. This reflects not just a short-term dip in opportunities but a systemic challenge linked to work precarity, lack of financial safety nets, and broader industry shifts that risk weakening the creative backbone of UK screen production unless significant action is taken. (The Film and TV Charity)

 

Categories: GB News, UK News