Playwrights working under WGGB’s TNC agreement, covering the Royal Court, RSC and National Theatre (pictured above), will receive a 3% uplift on minimum fees, thanks to the union’s negotiating team. The total script fee will rise from £15,090 to £15,543. The terms are backdated to 1 April 2026 and you can view the new rate card here.
This is in addition to other improvements for playwrights secured over the past 12 months with individual TNC theatres, including a significant uplift and new agreement for digital work at the National Theatre.
WGGB also recently agreed a large increase in fees for playwrights commissioned by the Royal Court’s Jerwood Theatre Upstairs. View the announcement, in June 2026, here.
Playwrights should refer to the following new documents on the WGGB website:
WGGB members can also contact our Casework Team for free individual support and advice with their contracts: [email protected]
WGGB Theatre Co-Chairs Morgan Lloyd Malcolm and Sonali Bhattacharyya said:
“As writers we are living and working through increasingly challenging conditions so it is encouraging to see a commitment to new writing, and proper recognition for playwrights’ tenacity, creativity and skill, with this uplift. We’re grateful for the hard work and cooperation that has gone into these negotiations.”
WGGB General Secretary Ellie Peers said:
“Playwrights in the UK enjoy some of the best rights in the world, thanks to the theatre agreements we have negotiated over many years, and we are delighted to announce this latest rise on fees for writers commissioned by the Royal Court, RSC and National, plus a series of other uplifts and protections, including on digital rights, agreed with individual TNC theatres over the past year. Protecting and improving playwrights’ rates and rights in a rapidly changing digital world is a priority for our negotiating team and that work will continue.”