Why IPSE is backing the campaign to recognise content creators

IPSE has joined calls for content creators to be formally recognised as legitimate professionals in national statistics and policy frameworks. The campaign, backed by YouTube and now IPSE, aims to address the invisibility of creators in official data and the consequences of this in policymaking.

As the UK’s only dedicated membership body for the self-employed, we know better than most that the self-employed sector is dynamic, diverse, and constantly evolving. Almost every day we see new innovative business models emerge, and content creation is one of the most significant of recent years.

From TikTok to podcasting, creators are building careers, generating income, and contributing an estimated £2 billion to the UK economy. Yet despite this, they remain invisible in official statistics. And it’s this invisibility that has consequences.

Without formal recognition, content creators are dismissed as hobbyists. And this can be the difference in accessing financial products such as mortgages and loans.

Our research shows that three-fifths of self-employed people face more hurdles than employees when applying for a mortgage and over half believe lenders don’t understand their financial situation. For content creators, this problem is even more acute. Their income from ad revenue, sponsorships, merchandise, or fan subscriptions doesn’t fit neatly into traditional employment models. And without recognition, lenders simply don’t know how to assess them.

It’s also important from a tax perspective. How are we supposed to get these content creators aware of any tax that is due on their income when the system doesn’t recognise that this is a legitimate way of earning a living?

The rapid rise of content creation as a profession highlights a broader challenge: policy frameworks often lag behind innovation. 

Without a clear understanding of this population and their needs, policymakers risk lumping creators in with small businesses that have employees, premises, and entirely different needs. And it becomes increasingly difficult to deliver tailored policy solutions for both content creators and the wider freelance sector when we remain unable to differentiate these groups.

A case in point is the government’s recently launched Creative Industries Sector Plan which failed to even acknowledge the vital role of content creators in their plan for the sector, let alone deliver meaningful proposals that would benefit these individuals. Instead, it focused on delivering for our largest creative businesses in industries such as film and TV.

We’ve always fought for better recognition and support for the self-employed. Content creators are a vital part of this community and their exclusion from formal recognition is a blind spot that must be addressed.

We’re calling on government and the Office for National Statistics to address this. It’s a simple ask, but one with far-reaching consequences.

We were pleased to put forward our case on BBC News London last week alongside Amelia Dimoldenberg – best known for her YouTube series Chicken Shop Date – and we’ll continue to highlight this campaign wherever possible.