Creative Freelancers Under Pressure as Work Dries Up

[madmax]

According to a new survey by Bectu, creative industry freelancers are facing what it describes as a “perfect storm,” with 39% currently out of work and only 13% feeling secure in their jobs. Despite freelancers forming the backbone of the UK’s creative sector — which contributes £125 billion annually to the economy — uncertainty, irregular income and weak protections are putting the sector’s long-term sustainability at risk.

The findings highlight a familiar “feast or famine” pattern. Over the past six months, fewer than one in four freelancers worked consistently, while long hours became the norm whenever work was available. Many respondents described a cycle of intense overwork followed by long stretches without income, reinforcing anxiety about staying in the industry at all.