HMRC (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 6 Acts this sector relies on.
Sector
Creative Industries
Film, TV, music, gaming, design, advertising and arts organisations.
- Guides
- 24
- Regulators
- 12
- Legislation
- 16
- Journeys
- 6
Start here
See all 6Step-by-step routes through what creative industries businesses must do.
Curated by what's changing, what's most consequential, and where things go wrong.
Changing now
Ofcom enforcing now
Comply with the Online Safety Act from scratch
If you run video, streaming or online creative services
On the horizon Expected in force 2027Prepare your venue for Martyn's Law
Events and venues with 200+ capacity get counter-terrorism protect duties
New to the sectorStart a creative business
The onboarding route for a new creative business
Also surfaceSet up a broadcasting business
Ofcom licensing for broadcast services
If it's gone wrongRespond to an Ofcom investigation
Contacted by Ofcom? Start here
Who regulates you
See all 12The bodies that set rules and enforce compliance for creative industries.
Ranked by how much of the legislation this sector's guides cite each one enforces.
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.
Trading Standards (opens in a new tab)
Enforces consumer protection legislation including food labelling, weights and measures, product safety, and fair trading. Part of local authority structure. Investigates food labelling breaches.
Enforces 3 Acts this sector relies on.
Key legislation
See all 16The Acts and statutory instruments that set duties for this sector.
Ranked by how many of this sector's guides cite each — the legislation most central to the sector appears first.
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Act
Licensing Act 2003 (opens in a new tab) Cited by 7 of this sector's guides
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Act
Communications Act 2003 (opens in a new tab) Cited by 6 of this sector's guides
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Act
Children and Young Persons Act 1963 (opens in a new tab) Cited by 5 of this sector's guides
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Act
Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 (opens in a new tab) Cited by 4 of this sector's guides
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Act
Broadcasting Act 1990 (opens in a new tab) Cited by 4 of this sector's guides
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Act
Live Music Act 2012 (opens in a new tab) Cited by 2 of this sector's guides
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SI
Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (opens in a new tab) Cited by 2 of this sector's guides
-
Act
Broadcasting Act 1996 (opens in a new tab) Cited by 2 of this sector's guides
What's changing
See all changes
Legislation_Change
1 Apr 2026
Relief for Creative Industries (Additional Information Requirements and Miscellaneous Amendments) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
All guidance for creative industries
24 guides for this sector.
Grouped by topic area, with the topic holding the most guidance first; within each, the most comprehensive guides lead.
Sector-Specific
17 guides
- 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 …
- 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 …
- 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, …
- 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 …
- Creative arts and entertainment: compliance checklist Use this checklist to confirm your creative arts and entertainment business (SIC division 90) meets its obligations before you open …
- Claim creative industry tax reliefs Corporation Tax reliefs for creative businesses - film, high-end TV, animation, video games, theatre, orchestras, and museums - including rates, …
- 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 …
- Set up as a creative freelancer or studio How to start and run a creative business as a designer, photographer, writer, or other creative professional. Covers business structures, …
- Cultural activities: compliance checklist Use this checklist to confirm your cultural activities operation (SIC division 91) meets its obligations. Work through the universal premises …
- 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 - …
- 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 …
- 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, …
- 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 - …
- Protect your creative content and clear music rights Understanding copyright for creative businesses - automatic protection for creative works, copyright duration, music rights clearance for commercial use, and …
- 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 …
- 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 …
- 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 …
Compliance & Legal
7 guides
- 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 …
- 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 …
- 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 …
- Broadcasting business: compliance checklist Use this checklist to confirm your broadcasting business (SIC division 60) meets its obligations. Work through the universal workplace and …
- 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 …
- 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 …
- 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, …
All journeys
- Start a creative business Launch a creative business - freelance designer, photographer, writer, videographer, production company, or studio
- 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
- Growing your creative business Scale your creative business - protect IP, expand internationally, license your work, build a team, and explore franchise …
- 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 …
- Set up a cultural activities organisation Learning path for new cultural activities organisations — libraries, archives, museums, galleries, historic sites, botanical gardens, zoos and …
Subsectors
SIC 2007 divisions covered by this sector.