With the escalating response to the current Covid-19 pandemic, Pact, the trade association representing the commercial interests of UK independent television, film, digital, children’s and animation media companies, is calling on Government to adopt a range of measures to support one of the UK’s most successful domestic and export industries.

Firstly, to support SMEs, suspend all payments of HMRC liabilities for VAT, PAYE, NI and corporation tax and a business rates holiday for as long as necessary.

Secondly, to support skilled freelance and self-employed workforce, simplify access and processes for state unemployment benefits, freeze all personal credit interest payments and delay the implementation of the flawed IR35 rules.

Thirdly, to support the UK’s domestic publicly-owned public service broadcasters, increase their borrowing limits to ensure they can support their programme budgets when the current hiatus on production comes to an end.

“This is an unprecedented crisis and in order to ensure that the UK industry can recover and continue to be one of the world’s most successful audiovisual sectors the UK Government should do all that it can to help,” says Pact.

Other posts by Colin Mann:

1. Analysis: SVoDs drive $220bn content spend
2. A TikToking clock heading towards regeneration – or not?
3. European pay-radio: Getting ready

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