The UK Department for Education (DfE) has spent more than £700,000 on Influencer Marketing over the past two years, according to figures disclosed in a written parliamentary answer, drawing criticism from opposition politicians and school leaders over the use of public funds.
As Tes Magazine reports, early Education Minister Olivia Bailey told Parliament that DfE spending on Influencer Marketing reached £589,671 in the 2025-26 financial year, up from £119,300 the year before. Those figures run higher than what the department had previously disclosed to Tes under a freedom of information request, which put 2024-25 spending at £80,950 and spending between April and October 2025 at £204,725. The DfE did not explain the discrepancy when asked.
Bailey’s answer said the latest figures reflect the full costs attributed to influencer activity per campaign, including fees, production, and paid-media costs. The department said the spending funded campaigns such as teacher recruitment and awareness of childcare and cost-of-living support.
Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, questioned whether the spending was a sensible use of public money, saying it “may extend the ‘reach’ of social media campaigns” but amounts to “a pretty ephemeral form of engagement.” Conservative shadow education secretary Laura Trott and Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Munira Wilson both argued the funds should go toward schools instead.
A DfE spokesperson defended the approach, saying Influencer Marketing “allows us to reach audiences where they are, in a much more cost-effective way than traditional marketing techniques,” and pointed to the shift toward social media as a primary news source for the public.
The disclosure follows backlash in May over DfE-produced videos featuring reality television personality Gemma Collins promoting vocational education, which the department said involved no direct payment to Collins but did carry internal staff costs it has not quantified. It also comes after the government’s decision to ban social media platforms for users under 16, following Australia’s model, raising questions Tes has put to the department about whether influencer spending will continue.
The spending disclosure lands as the UK Creator Economy pushes in the opposite direction: for government recognition rather than government budget. A cross-party group of MPs, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Digital Creators, wrote to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy this spring urging that creators be added to the Standard Industrial Classification framework, a move that would open access to business loans and grants currently unavailable to the sector.
An Oxford Economics report cited in that push found UK creators contributed £2.2 billion to the economy and supported 45,000 jobs in 2024, while a YouTube and Public First survey found 93% of UK creators say they lack adequate support in accessing business loans and capital.
The DfE’s spending, then, sits on the demand side of a market the same creators say is still fighting for basic institutional footing on the supply side.
Dragomir is a Serbian freelance blog writer and translator. He is passionate about covering insightful stories and exploring topics such as influencer marketing, the creator economy, technology, business, and cyber fraud.
The UK Department for Education (DfE) has spent more than £700,000 on Influencer Marketing over the past two years, according to figures disclosed in a written parliamentary answer, drawing criticism from opposition politicians and school leaders over the use of public funds.
As Tes Magazine reports, early Education Minister Olivia Bailey told Parliament that DfE spending on Influencer Marketing reached £589,671 in the 2025-26 financial year, up from £119,300 the year before. Those figures run higher than what the department had previously disclosed to Tes under a freedom of information request, which put 2024-25 spending at £80,950 and spending between April and October 2025 at £204,725. The DfE did not explain the discrepancy when asked.
Bailey’s answer said the latest figures reflect the full costs attributed to influencer activity per campaign, including fees, production, and paid-media costs. The department said the spending funded campaigns such as teacher recruitment and awareness of childcare and cost-of-living support.
Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, questioned whether the spending was a sensible use of public money, saying it “may extend the ‘reach’ of social media campaigns” but amounts to “a pretty ephemeral form of engagement.” Conservative shadow education secretary Laura Trott and Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Munira Wilson both argued the funds should go toward schools instead.
A DfE spokesperson defended the approach, saying Influencer Marketing “allows us to reach audiences where they are, in a much more cost-effective way than traditional marketing techniques,” and pointed to the shift toward social media as a primary news source for the public.
The disclosure follows backlash in May over DfE-produced videos featuring reality television personality Gemma Collins promoting vocational education, which the department said involved no direct payment to Collins but did carry internal staff costs it has not quantified. It also comes after the government’s decision to ban social media platforms for users under 16, following Australia’s model, raising questions Tes has put to the department about whether influencer spending will continue.
The spending disclosure lands as the UK Creator Economy pushes in the opposite direction: for government recognition rather than government budget. A cross-party group of MPs, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Digital Creators, wrote to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy this spring urging that creators be added to the Standard Industrial Classification framework, a move that would open access to business loans and grants currently unavailable to the sector.
An Oxford Economics report cited in that push found UK creators contributed £2.2 billion to the economy and supported 45,000 jobs in 2024, while a YouTube and Public First survey found 93% of UK creators say they lack adequate support in accessing business loans and capital.
The DfE’s spending, then, sits on the demand side of a market the same creators say is still fighting for basic institutional footing on the supply side.
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