Budget 2025 – our response

Following the 2025 Budget, presented in the Commons yesterday (26 November 2025) by Chancellor Rachel Reeves MP, WGGB General Secretary Ellie Peers said:

“The Chancellor made much reference in the Budget to relentlessly pursuing growth, and given the creative industries are one of the Government’s eight priority sectors, it was disappointing to hear no new announcements on that front.

“While it is welcome to see more investment for the nations and regions, we are concerned that without ringfenced funding for the arts in these areas, we may well see more theatres and others cultural venues close, as squeezed local authorities battle to protect frontline services. This in turn will impact on our members’ jobs.

“The Chancellor said that ‘working people deserve change’, yet the unique needs of a freelance creative workforce often go unnoticed and they too have been facing a cost-of-living crisis. We would have preferred to have seen more targeted interventions on that front – making the benefit system more accessible for the self-employed, for example, or exploring models like Universal Basic Income or introducing tailored grants for creative workers.

“The Government’s longer-term proposed changes to the tax system for those in receipt of PAYE/self-employed income need close scrutiny – there is scant detail at present and we look forward to more and to taking part in the upcoming consultation.”