An Urgent Call to the UK Government to Recognise and Support Podcasting and Audio as a Core UK Creative Industry

AudioUK has made an urgent call to the UK Government to Recognise and Support Podcasting and Audio as a Core UK Creative Industry.

Podcasting and audio in the UK is a rapidly growing commercial and cultural force – amplifying local voices while projecting British creativity and soft power on a global stage. And yet we lack formal recognition as a Creative Industry at government level.

Over the summer of 2025, we launched a public policy campaign to urge for reform.

Over 400 podcast and audio businesses, collectively employing around 12,000 people, have now signed our open letter to the Rt Hon Lisa Nandy MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. This is an unprecedented show of unity from across our industry, from major networks and studios, to new independents, calling for urgent government recognition of podcasting and audio as a core UK creative industry.

AudioUK is pleased to report that DCMS has committed to commissioning a research study to measure key data across the podcast and audio industry. The results of this research are expected to be published in 2026. This is a key first step in securing the recognition and support that podcasting and audio deserves as a major economic and cultural driver.

Your support has been vital in amplifying this message and demonstrating the strength and breadth of our sector. You can view the full report summarising the campaign here.

A Reminder of the Key Asks for DCMS and Government:

• Formally recognise podcasting and audio as part of the Creative Industries.
• Include a seat for a podcasting and audio representative on the Creative Industries Council, not just at sub-group level.
• Introduce targeted support, including a Tax Relief, a SIC code specifically for podcasting and audio, and a Global IP Fund, to fuel growth and investment, nationally and internationally.
• Commission a workforce and economic impact study of the podcast and audio sector as specified in the Creative Industries Sector Plan – NB: we are pleased to be working with DCMS currently on a piece of work to gather industry data.
• Ensure future strategic plans fully incorporate the potential of podcasting and audio across skills, exports and regional development.

Next Steps in the Campaign

Signatories to the open letter have closed, we have issued our response to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and we have already begun several strands of follow-up work:

AudioUK has already begun collaborating with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on a new data initiative to quantify the podcasting and audio industry’s economic impact, a first step towards establishing the evidence base for policy change. This will cover podcasting, radio, audiobooks.

AudioUK is also collaborating with the industry to create a brand new SIC code – the tax code that categorises companies – for podcasting and audio businesses. No SIC code exists that represents podcasting and audio, making it difficult to monitor industry growth and scale.

We continue to advocate for a seat on the Creative Industries Council and will meet with the key representatives – we are hopeful that any changes to the Council in the near future reflect the impact that podcasting and audio has both nationally and internationally, to give it a seat. This is not about AudioUK specifically having a seat, but the industry as a whole having a representative. 

And we will work with DCMS on Creative Industries Sector Plan support frameworks: Support the work to define details of the Sector Plan to ensure podcasting and audio companies are primed to see the benefit of grants and aid schemes from the British Business Bank alongside other creative industries.

The UK’s podcasting and audio community is bold, creative, and ready to scale even further. With the right policy frameworks and targeted investment, we can unlock exceptional growth, drive exports, maintain and strengthen our position as a global cultural leader, and expand a vibrant, diverse workforce across the UK.

The Open Letter

To:
The Rt Hon Lisa Nandy MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Cc:
Baroness Shriti Vadera, Chair, Creative Industries Council
Sir Peter Bazalgette, Co-Chair, Creative Industries Council
Caroline Norbury OBE, Chief Executive, Creative UK
Chair and Members of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee

An Urgent Call to the UK Government to Recognise and Support Podcasting and Audio as a Core UK Creative Industry

Dear Secretary of State,

We, the undersigned UK companies, industry bodies, parliamentarians and individuals, write with both urgency and optimism.

Podcasting and audio in the UK is thriving – creatively, culturally, and commercially. Yet it remains largely overlooked by policymakers. This is a critical gap in the Creative Industries Sector Plan – one we hope to address together.

Podcasting and audio in the UK is a rapidly growing commercial and cultural force – amplifying local voices while projecting British creativity and soft power on a global stage:

• The number of people listening to podcasts in the UK has more than doubled over the last 5 years, and is set to continue to grow exponentially, particularly in under 24s.
• The podcast and audio industry in the UK is worth up to an estimated £5 billion annually, thanks to its wide reach and capacity for IP development and exploitation. It is one of the fastest growing Creative Industries in the world, exceeding 20 – 30% annual expansion rates versus the single-digit or mid-teens typical elsewhere.
• Podcasting thrives both locally and globally. On a local level, over 50% of AudioUK member businesses are outside of London, creating jobs, providing training, and platforming local stories and voices.
• Podcasting and audio is a key UK export. Shows including The Rest Is Politics, The Rest Is History, Traitors: Uncloaked, Kill List and The Magnus Archives reach billions of listeners worldwide, and have proven their influence on a global scale.

Despite UK talent and production expertise being globally recognised for its quality and popularity, we remain unprioritised, particularly when compared to other creative sectors:

• There is minimal mention of podcasting and audio across the 80 pages of the Creative Industries Sector Plan – despite the significant cultural and economic value it brings.
• Podcasting and audio receives no access to tailored public funding or investment, unlike film, TV, digital games, and more.
• The sector is largely excluded from policy conversations at the Creative Industries Council – the very body designed to shape the future of our creative economy.
• Data around our workforce is largely absent from national creative labour surveys.

Steps for Government

We urge you to take the following steps to recognise and support podcasting and audio as a key part of the UK’s creative future:

1. Formally recognise podcasting and audio as part of the Creative Industries.
2. Include a seat for a podcasting and audio representative on the Creative Industries Council, not just at sub-group level.
3. Introduce targeted support, including a Tax Relief, and Global IP Fund, to fuel growth and investment, nationally and internationally.
4. Commission a workforce and economic impact study of the podcast and audio sector as specified in the Creative Industries Sector Plan.
5. Ensure future strategic plans fully incorporate the potential of podcasting and audio across skills, exports and regional development.

We Are Ready For Change

The UK’s podcasting and audio community is bold, creative, and ready to scale even further. With the right policy frameworks and targeted investment, we can unlock exceptional growth, drive exports, maintain and strengthen our position as a global cultural leader, and expand a vibrant, diverse workforce across the UK.

We look forward to working with you to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of local and global podcasting and audio storytelling.

Yours sincerely,

Signatories