The BFI’s Screen Business Report shows record levels of film and television production in the UK

Today, the BFI published their new independent report Screen Business, which reveals the highest ever return on investment to the UK economy of £13.48bn (GVA) from the UK’s Government’s screen tax reliefs from 2017-2019.

The report provides a substantial and comprehensive study of the vital importance of the UK’s screen industries to stimulating economic growth and job creation. As the national agency for maximising and supporting the production of feature film and high-end television in the English regions outside London, Creative England’s Filming in England are delighted to have supported the BFI in compiling the report, alongside local filming data from our Film Office Partners.

Key findings from the report that are specific to the screen industries in the English regions outside London are as follows:

• Film and HETV production in the English regions outside London generated over £900m in GVA in 2019, increasing by more than 42% from 2017.
• Direct spending on Film and HETV production in the English regions outside London grew by almost 50%, with £1.8 billion spent between 2017 and 2019.
• Jobs generated by Film and HETV production in the English regions outside London increased by more than 38% between 2017 and 2019, with production spend generating 17,991 FTE roles in 2019, including direct, indirect and induced effects.
• HETV production experienced particularly high growth in the English regions outside London between 2017 and 2019, with production spend increasing by more than three times to surpass £530 million in 2019 – over a quarter of the UK total and more than 72% of the UK total outside of Metro London.
• HETV production in the English regions outside London generated £586m in GVA in 2019, growing by almost two and half times from 2017 and accounting for over 75% of the UK total outside of Metro London.
• HETV production spend also generated 11,773 FTE jobs in the English regions outside London in 2019, including direct, indirect and induced effects, more than double 2017’s employment level and nearly a quarter of the UK total.

“The publication of the BFI’s Screen Business report underlines the enormous value of the screen industries to the UK economy, and the crucial role Tax Reliefs play in attracting significant investment for the sector. We’ve already seen the power of screen production drive recovery as we push past the impact of Covid-19, with Filming in England and our Film Office Partners supporting more than 80 Feature Film and HETV productions in 2020 alone, despite months of suspended filming in the wake of the pandemic. With the trajectory of the current decentralized production boom, as well as exciting new studio developments and expansions, the English regions have never been in greater demand. Against the backdrop of the UK’s exit from the EU and our recovery from the pandemic, it is our aim to ensure the profile, job opportunities and wide economic benefits that the screen sector generates are maximised across all parts of the country.”

Hayley Armstrong, Head of Production Services

Read the full report on the BFI’s website.