Sector
Creative Industries
Film, TV, music, gaming, design, advertising and arts organisations.
Start here
Comply with the Online Safety Act from scratch
If you run video, streaming or online creative services
Prepare your venue for Martyn's Law
Events and venues with 200+ capacity get counter-terrorism protect duties
Start a creative business
The onboarding route for a new creative business
Set up a broadcasting business
Ofcom licensing for broadcast services
Respond to an Ofcom investigation
Contacted by Ofcom? Start here
Who regulates you
See all 13HMRC (opens in a new tab)
Tax collection, customs duties, national insurance, tax credits, and enforcement of the National Minimum Wage. Regulates all UK businesses for tax compliance including Corporation …
Enforces 7 Acts this sector relies on.
Ofcom (opens in a new tab)
Regulates telecoms, TV, radio, video-on-demand, postal services, and online safety. Issues licences for telecoms providers, manages spectrum. Now enforces Online Safety Act duties for …
Enforces 6 Acts this sector relies on.
BBFC (opens in a new tab)
Classifies films, videos, and some video games for age rating. Statutory authority for classifying cinema releases and video works under the Video Recordings Act …
Enforces 5 Acts this sector relies on.
HSE (opens in a new tab)
Workplace health, safety, and welfare regulation across all industries. Enforces the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and related regulations. Investigates serious incidents …
Enforces 5 Acts this sector relies on.
Local Authority (opens in a new tab)
Local councils enforce food safety (via Environmental Health Officers), issue alcohol licences, grant planning permission, and regulate certain business activities at local level. Responsibilities …
Enforces 5 Acts this sector relies on.
CMA (opens in a new tab)
Promotes competitive markets and tackles unfair behaviour. Investigates mergers, enforces competition law, and has specific digital markets powers. Digital Markets Unit (DMU) designates Strategic …
Enforces 3 Acts this sector relies on.
Key legislation
See all 23What’s changing
VAT reduced rate (5%) for children's meals and family attractions June–September 2026
Licensing Act 2003 (FIFA World Cup Licensing Hours) Order 2026
General rules
Common requirements that apply across industries. Conditions such as employing people or operating premises are shown only after they are known.
File your confirmation statement
File a confirmation statement every 12 months, within 14 days after your review period ends. Filing late is a criminal offence for the company and its officers.
Applies across industries.
General ruleVerify your identity for Companies House as a director or PSC
Yes, if you are an individual director or PSC of a UK company, or an individual director of an overseas company registered in the UK. Corporate directors and officers of corporate PSCs are not yet required to verify. The transition for existing directors and PSCs ends on 17 November 2026.
Applies across industries.
General ruleMandatory registrations every business must complete
Step-by-step guide to the registrations every business must complete before trading, regardless of sector. Covers HMRC tax registration, ICO data protection fee, mandatory insurance, and pension auto-enrolment.
Applies across industries.
General rulePre-trading compliance checklist
A concise yes/no checklist to verify you have completed all mandatory pre-trading requirements, including business registration, tax, insurance, licences, premises approvals, and data protection.
Applies across industries.
General ruleMeet your business waste duty of care
Understand your legal responsibilities when producing, storing, or disposing of business waste. Covers using registered waste carriers, completing waste transfer notes, and the stricter rules for hazardous waste.
Applies across industries.
General ruleCheck if you need to register for VAT
Find out if your business must register for VAT based on your taxable turnover. Covers the £90,000 threshold, what counts as taxable turnover, the rolling 12-month test, and when voluntary registration makes sense.
Applies across industries.
All guidance for creative industries
Tax & Finance
2
Claim creative industry tax reliefs
Corporation Tax reliefs for creative businesses - film, high-end TV, animation, video games, theatre, orchestras, and museums - including rates, eligibility, BFI cultural test, and application process.
Relevant across several parts of this sector.
Apply for creative industry funding and grants
Funding opportunities for creative businesses - Arts Council Project Grants, BFI Film Fund, Screen Scotland, Ffilm Cymru Wales, Northern Ireland Screen, and Innovate UK creative R&D funding.
Relevant across several parts of this sector.
Compliance & Legal
8
Set up and run a safe broadcasting operation
Broadcasting involves studios, control rooms, outside broadcasts and transmission sites. Whatever you broadcast, this is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties — including the sector hazards around rigging, electrical equipment, working at height and display screen equipment — fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection.
Relevant across several parts of this sector.
Film, TV and music production compliance checklist
Use this checklist to confirm you have met every regulatory obligation that applies to your film, TV or music production business — from workplace health and safety through to child performance licensing, video classification, cinema licensing, copyright and music rights.
Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.
Creative arts and entertainment: compliance checklist
Use this checklist to confirm your creative arts and entertainment business meets its obligations before you open to the public. Work through the universal workplace and employment items, then the premises licensing and child performance licensing items. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.
Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.
Set up and run a safe creative arts and entertainment business
Whether you run a theatre, a live music venue, a dance company or an arts centre, this is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, fire safety, premises licensing under the Licensing Act 2003, child performance licensing, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection.
Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.
Broadcasting business: compliance checklist
Use this checklist to confirm your broadcasting business meets its obligations. Work through the universal workplace and employment items every broadcasting operation shares, then the Ofcom licensing and content-standards items. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.
Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.
Set up and run a safe cultural activities operation
Running a library, archive, museum, gallery, historic site, botanical garden, zoo or nature reserve means managing public-facing premises and the people who work in them. This is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection, then — if you keep animals — zoo licensing and dangerous-wild-animal licensing.
Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.
Set up and run a safe film, TV or music production business
Whatever you produce — films, television programmes, videos, sound recordings or music — you must manage the same workplace health and safety, fire safety, insurance, equality and data protection duties before you begin operating. This guide walks you through each one.
Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.
Cultural activities: compliance checklist
Use this checklist to confirm your cultural, heritage or visitor-attraction business meets its obligations. Work through the universal premises and employment items every business shares, then only the zoo and dangerous-wild-animal licensing items if you keep animals. If you answer no to any item that applies to you, follow the linked guide before you proceed.
Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.
Show 7 more
Get your broadcasting licences and meet Ofcom duties
If you provide a television, radio or on-demand programme service, or operate transmission equipment, you need the right Ofcom licence or notification and must comply with the Broadcasting Code. This guide takes you through each licence type, the content-standards framework, and the PECR privacy rules that apply to your audience engagement and marketing.
Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.
Broadcast licensing and Ofcom regulation
How to obtain broadcast licences from Ofcom for television and radio services in the UK. Includes licence types, application processes, Broadcasting Code compliance, and on-demand service notification requirements.
Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.
Which broadcasting regulations apply to your business
Broadcasters — television, radio, community radio, on-demand programme services and transmission providers — carry workplace-safety duties as employers and face a separate layer of Ofcom licensing and content-standards obligations specific to broadcasting.
Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.
Which creative arts and entertainment regulations apply to your business
Performing arts companies, theatres, live music venues, dance companies and arts centres share workplace-safety duties, then carry premises licensing and child performance licensing duties that depend on what you stage and who performs.
Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.
Which film, TV and music production regulations apply to your business
Film and TV production companies, video producers, sound recording studios, music publishers and cinema exhibitors share the same workplace-safety foundation, then the rules diverge by what you do — whether you work with child performers, supply classified video works, exhibit films to the public, create copyright-protected content or license music rights.
Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.
Which cultural activities regulations apply to your business
Libraries, archives, museums, galleries, historic sites, botanical gardens, zoos and nature reserves share the universal workplace-safety, fire, equality and data-protection duties that apply to any public-facing premises. Zoos and keepers of dangerous wild animals carry additional local-authority licensing on top.
Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.
Content creators and influencers: tax, ads and gifted products
Usually yes to both. If you are trading, free products you receive for posting count as income, and you must label any post about a gifted product as an ad.
Relevant across several parts of this sector.
Premises & Operations
2
Film and TV production permissions and insurance
Legal requirements and permissions for film and TV production in the UK - including location permissions, council filming fees, insurance requirements, and drone filming regulations.
Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.
Martyn's Law for pubs, shops and venues
Only if you can reasonably expect 200 or more people at once, staff included. The duties have not started and no start date is set.
Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.
Sector-Specific
5
Apply for entertainment and alcohol premises licence
Complete guide to applying for a premises licence for entertainment, alcohol sales, or late-night refreshment in England and Wales - including fees, consultation requirements, and licensing objectives.
Relevant across several parts of this sector.
Obtain music licences for your business premises
How to obtain and maintain the correct music licences when playing recorded or live music in your business premises - covering PPL, PRS, and combined licensing options.
Applies if you play recorded or live music where customers or staff can hear it
Film and TV production tax reliefs and regulation
How to access UK film and television tax reliefs, including Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC) rates, BFI cultural test certification, child performance licensing, health and safety requirements, and filming permits. Essential compliance and planning guidance for production companies.
Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.
Meet your film, TV and music production regulatory duties
If your production works with child performers, supplies classified video works, exhibits films to the public, creates copyright-protected content or licenses music rights, your business carries sector-specific duties on top of the universal workplace foundation. This guide covers each regime and what you need to do.
Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.
Apply for broadcasting licence (TV and radio)
How to obtain Ofcom broadcasting licences for television and radio services in the UK - including TLCS for TV channels, community radio, and commercial radio licensing.
Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.
All journeys
Start a creative business
Launch a creative business - freelance designer, photographer, writer, videographer, production company, or studio
Growing your creative business
Scale your creative business - protect IP, expand internationally, license your work, build a team, and explore franchise …
Set up a broadcasting business
Learning path for new broadcasters — television, radio, community radio, on-demand programme services and transmission providers. Work out …
Set up a film, TV or music production business
A step-by-step path through the regulations that apply to film and TV production companies, video producers, sound recording …
Set up a creative arts and entertainment business
Learning path for new creative arts and entertainment businesses — theatre companies, live music venues, dance companies, arts …
Subsectors
SIC 2007 divisions covered by this sector.
Film, TV & Music Production
Motion picture, video and television programme production, sound recording and music publishing activities
SIC 59