Campaign
Overview
Pact has long been concerned about the steady decline in investment in UK originated children’s content. We continue to have discussions with the Government on this issue, and will continue to work with others across the sector to find a solution.
Despite the success of the tax reliefs, there continues to be a market failure within children’s programming. Children's programming quotas were removed for commercial Public Service Broadcasters (PSBs) in 2003. That, combined with the ban on advertising foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt to children (also in the early 2000s) led to a steady decline in investment from the commercial broadcasters.
Our Campaign
Work to Date
Following campaigning from Pact and others in the sector, the Government introduced tax reliefs for animation in 2013 and live action children’s programming in 2015. These tax reliefs have played a vital role in helping to stimulate investment in children’s content.
In 2015, Pact and the Ragdoll Foundation commissioned research from Communications Chambers highlighting how the current PSB system is failing children and how investment, spend and hours of original content across the PSB channels have plummeted over the last decade. Since then, there have been considerable changes in the market, with the introduction and growth of new providers and services, such as Disney+, and the decline in viewing of linear television.
Following the closure of the Young Audiences Content Fund in 2022, Pact commissioned research from Oliver and Ohlbaum Associates (O&O) to examine the current state of the children’s television sector and help make the case for an enhanced children’s and animation tax relief. At the Spring Budget in 2023, the Government announced it would be increasing the level of the children’s and animation tax reliefs to 39%.
We are pleased that the rate of the tax relief was increased. However, we continue to be concerned about the declining level of investment in UK originated children’s programming. Without further strategic intervention, the genre will likely continue to decline even further.