A cross-party group of UK MPs, backed by YouTube, has written to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, urging the government to formally recognize the UK’s Creator Economy by including it in the upcoming Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 2026 framework, per The Independent.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Digital Creators argues that the SIC system, first devised nearly 80 years ago, was not designed with digital business models in mind. Inclusion in the updated framework would give content creators, influencers, video producers, podcasters, and online publishers access to business loans, government grants, and other forms of institutional support that currently remain out of reach.
APPG co-chairwoman Feryal Clark said the digital sector “remains stubbornly invisible to the systems that are supposed to support it” and called for “a practical, low-cost step that would make an enormous difference to thousands of businesses and the people they employ.”
Alison Lomax, Managing Director of YouTube UK and Ireland, said modernizing SIC codes “would remove structural barriers, allowing them to access the critical finance and business support they need to scale.”
A Sector With Documented Economic Weight
The push for classification reform follows a body of research quantifying the Creator Economy’s contribution to the UK economy. An Oxford Economics impact report found that content creators contributed £2.2 billion to the UK economy in 2024 and supported 45,000 jobs. A separate YouTube and Public First consultation, based on responses from nearly 10,000 UK-based creators, found that 80% of watch time on UK YouTube channels originates from outside the country, positioning the sector as a significant cultural exporter.
Despite that output, 93% of creator survey respondents said UK creators lack adequate support in accessing business loans and capital, and 56% reported having no meaningful voice in shaping government policies that affect their work.
Inquiry Planned for Later This Year
Phil Hughes of the Digital Creators Association and Scott Guthrie of the Influencer Marketing Trade Body, who serve as co-secretariats of the APPG, said the letter marks the beginning of a broader program of work. “We look forward to launching a full inquiry into the creator economy later this year, working with parliamentarians, creators, and industry to unlock the full economic contribution of this sector,” they said.
The UK’s creative industries contribute £124 billion in gross value added and 2.4 million jobs to the economy, with the Creator Economy among its fastest-growing segments, according to The Independent.
Nii A. Ahene is the founder and managing director of Net Influencer, a website dedicated to offering insights into the influencer marketing industry. Together with its newsletter, Influencer Weekly, Net Influencer provides news, commentary, and analysis of the events shaping the creator and influencer marketing space. Through interviews with startups, influencers, brands, and platforms, Nii and his team explore how influencer marketing is being effectively used to benefit businesses and personal brands alike.
A cross-party group of UK MPs, backed by YouTube, has written to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, urging the government to formally recognize the UK’s Creator Economy by including it in the upcoming Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 2026 framework, per The Independent.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Digital Creators argues that the SIC system, first devised nearly 80 years ago, was not designed with digital business models in mind. Inclusion in the updated framework would give content creators, influencers, video producers, podcasters, and online publishers access to business loans, government grants, and other forms of institutional support that currently remain out of reach.
APPG co-chairwoman Feryal Clark said the digital sector “remains stubbornly invisible to the systems that are supposed to support it” and called for “a practical, low-cost step that would make an enormous difference to thousands of businesses and the people they employ.”
Alison Lomax, Managing Director of YouTube UK and Ireland, said modernizing SIC codes “would remove structural barriers, allowing them to access the critical finance and business support they need to scale.”
A Sector With Documented Economic Weight
The push for classification reform follows a body of research quantifying the Creator Economy’s contribution to the UK economy. An Oxford Economics impact report found that content creators contributed £2.2 billion to the UK economy in 2024 and supported 45,000 jobs. A separate YouTube and Public First consultation, based on responses from nearly 10,000 UK-based creators, found that 80% of watch time on UK YouTube channels originates from outside the country, positioning the sector as a significant cultural exporter.
Despite that output, 93% of creator survey respondents said UK creators lack adequate support in accessing business loans and capital, and 56% reported having no meaningful voice in shaping government policies that affect their work.
Inquiry Planned for Later This Year
Phil Hughes of the Digital Creators Association and Scott Guthrie of the Influencer Marketing Trade Body, who serve as co-secretariats of the APPG, said the letter marks the beginning of a broader program of work. “We look forward to launching a full inquiry into the creator economy later this year, working with parliamentarians, creators, and industry to unlock the full economic contribution of this sector,” they said.
The UK’s creative industries contribute £124 billion in gross value added and 2.4 million jobs to the economy, with the Creator Economy among its fastest-growing segments, according to The Independent.
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