Spending Review – our response

Real term cuts to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport raise “serious alarm bells”, according to WGGB General Secretary Ellie Peers, responding to the Spending Review delivered by Chancellor Rachel Reeves MP in the House of Commons yesterday (11 June 2025). 

While the Review – which sets out plans for Government spending until 2029 – included a headline figure of nearly £3 billion in capital funding for the culture, media and sports sectors, the true picture was a Government department facing real term cuts of 2.8% in capital and 1.2% in resource DEL (departmental expenditure limit) over the Spending Review period. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has also committed to make 5% in savings and efficiencies.

WGGB General Secretary Ellie Peers said: “The creative industries – worth £125 billion to the UK economy – have been identified as one of eight growth sectors by the Government in its Industrial Strategy, so it is puzzling to see the DCMS facing a real terms cut. It is a development that raises serious alarm bells, as the freelance writing community cannot sustain any further cuts, especially considering the threat AI already poses to their incomes.

“If the Government is to stay true to its stated mission of harnessing our creative industries as a driver of growth, then it must invest accordingly. And if it is to deliver on its promise for working people, this must include our writer members, who power this world-leading sector.

“We look forward to further detail from the Government in its imminent Creative Industries Sector Plan and hope ministers will take urgent action on fair pay, fair treatment, a sustainable sector and copyright and AI, as outlined in our manifesto, Putting writers at the heart of the story.

“Our members are facing acute and unprecedented challenges across all their different craft specialisms and we continue our campaigning and lobbying work.”