End of scheme to help TV and film through pandemic announced

The Government has confirmed its £500 million scheme helping TV and film productions through the pandemic will close at the end of the month.

The UK Film & TV Production Restart Scheme, which was launched in July 2020, is wrapping up, despite sustained lobbying from parts of the industry.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said the initiative had supported 95,000 jobs, leading to £5.6 billion in production spend.

£12 million has been paid out in claims.

Peaky Blinders, Killing Eve, Gangs Of London and the film The Phantom Of The Open starring Sir Mark Rylance, are among the productions that have received support so far.

Applications remain open until April 30 and cover will be provided until the end of June.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said: “The Film & TV Production Restart Scheme has played a vital role helping our world-beating screen industries continue to thrive despite the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic.

“As we learn to live with Covid, it is great to see the industry working with production companies to make sure they have the cover they need to create high-quality content for viewers at home and abroad.”

Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “Our world-leading film and TV industry supports hundreds of thousands of jobs, and our Restart scheme played a vital part in keeping it going throughout the pandemic.

“The success of our scheme means that commercial insurers can now work with the industry to provide cover, so the UK can keep producing the films and TV programmes we all love.”

The DCMS said the scheme was ending as part of the Government’s living with Covid plan.