UK Screen Alliance welcomes the government’s investment in the UK’s film and TV industry to secure the nation’s position as a world-leading production hub.
- Funding will support new £75 million Screen Growth Package to develop UK film and TV industry.
- Funding forms part of the wider Industrial Strategy, which aims to grow the economy and deliver the Government’s Plan for Change.
- National Film and Television School to also benefit from £21 million funding from government and sector.
The Screen Growth Package forms a central pillar of the Creative Industries Sector Plan, designed to enhance the UK’s status as a global creative superpower by 2035. The strategic funding will deliver benefits across the UK screen industry by:
- Expanding the UK Global Screen Fund to £18 million annually (2026-2029) to develop international business capabilities, enable co-productions and showcase independent UK screen content worldwide.
- Investing £10 million to expand the National Film and Television School at its primary site in Beaconsfield, unlocking £11 million in investment from industry and private supporters, including from the Walt Disney Company, the Dana and Albert R. Broccoli Foundation and Sky. It will help to modernise its facilities, making them fully accessible for students with disabilities, and train 2,000 new trainees and apprentices over the next decade.
- Opening pathways for young people from underrepresented backgrounds through a significantly expanded BFI Film Academy, providing hands-on filmmaking experience and specialist training for 16-25 year olds.
- Investing £25 million in the businesses which are creating the next phase of augmented reality and motion capture technology, which has been used for productions including Wicked, A Picture of Dorian Gray and Those About To Die. This will fund five new CoSTAR research and development labs, which will help develop the next phase of augmented reality and motion capture technology. It will also fund two showcase spaces to demonstrate new createch, film, TV and games innovations to investors.
- On top of the bespoke £75 million in the Screen Growth Package, a new £150 million Creative Places Growth Fund will also be devolved to six Mayoral Strategic Authorities. From Manchester to Bristol, Birmingham to Sunderland this funding will allow local leaders to support development of regional screen agencies and production funds to boost our film and TV clusters across the country.
From Barbie and Killing Eve to Adolescence and Saltburn, the UK already has a stellar track record of producing award-winning films and cutting-edge TV which are enjoyed by millions at home and around the world.
But I want us to go further and to cement the UK as the best place on earth to make film and television, as we deliver our Plan for Change. This landmark Sector Plan puts the creative industries at the heart of our economic growth strategy and is key to making that ambition a reality.
Lisa Nandy, Culture Secretary
The package will also strengthen the UK’s international appeal through continued support for the prestigious BFI London Film Festival and funding for the British Film Commission to attract further inward investment.
The plan provides foundations for the Government to take action to support public service media and the wider television ecosystem, building on the Media Act and Ofcom’s public service media review which is due this summer. The BBC Charter Review will also launch later this year, to set the BBC up for success long into the future.
The Screen Growth Package is one element of the full Creative Industries Sector Plan, part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy, identifying the film and TV industry as a high-growth sub-sector along with music, video games, and advertising.
This extensive funding package for the screen sector, follows on from competitive incentives for visual effects, animation and independent film introduced over the last couple of years. Together they put the UK in a strong position to cement our world leading position as a creative powerhouse, with growth and jobs in these high tech, high innovation and high productivity sectors.
Neil Hatton MBE, CEO of UK Screen Alliance
The UK is home to highly skilled and exceptionally creative artists, technologists, and thinkers who push the boundaries of what’s possible. The Creative Industries Sector Plan is a powerful show of support to those working in visual effects, film, TV, advertising, and immersive experiences. It will release unlocked potential and open doors to a new wave of talent across the country, giving them the confidence to build their skills, ideas, and innovations here, cementing the UK’s position as a global leader for years to come.
Mel Sullivan, Framestore
We’re pleased the Government recognises that our world-class screen industries drive regional growth and add billions to the UK economy—and that the BFI plays an important part in that success. Through the BFI Film Academy we open doors for young people from under-represented backgrounds.
The UK Global Screen Fund helps UK screen businesses expand into overseas markets, while our work with creative clusters, partners providing industry support services and the CoSTAR research labs attracts fresh investment. And every autumn, the BFI London Film Festival brings global cinema and international filmmakers to audiences here and shines a light on UK creativity worldwide.
Ben Roberts, Chief Executive of BFI
The real world impact of the Sector Plan in action will be felt through the NFTS’s expanded ability to train world-class, diverse talent and fuel growth in a sector where the UK is a global leader.
In a challenging climate for the creative industries, the support from the government isn’t just welcome, it’s strategic. This investment in the NFTS reinforces a commitment to skills, innovation, and the long-term future of the creative economy.
Jon Wardle, Director of National Film and Television School
The full Creative Industries Sector Plan can be downloaded here.
