Bectu welcomes UK Covid-19 Inquiry cultural institutions report and says sector must be better understood by government

The UK Covid-19 Inquiry has published its Cultural Institutions Roundtable Summary Report, following a creative industry roundtable held in May 2025 that sought to investigate the effects of closures and restrictions on museums, theatres and other cultural institutions.

Bectu participated in the roundtable alongside other arts and cultural sector organisations, charitable foundations and trade unions, highlighting our members’ experiences.

Financial challenges

The report highlights the difficulties freelancers had in accessing financial support during the pandemic, compared to cultural organisations.

Bectu and other participants stressed how financial support often did not recognise the unique ways in which many freelancers operate, such as sole traders, and how the nature of freelancers’ working history and variable incomes meant they often had difficulty demonstrating they qualified for financial support.

We particularly highlighted how the eligibility criteria and changes to the Cultural Recovery Fund throughout the pandemic had a lasting impact on many freelancers and their livelihood.
Bectu’s Big Survey 2025 – the largest of its kind – five years on from the pandemic painted a picture of an industry where many are still struggling. 66% of respondents said they were struggling to make ends meet.

While the report does highlight how the mental health and wellbeing of those working in the sector became more of a priority for cultural organisations during the pandemic, it notes that the pandemic exacerbated long-standing inequalities experienced by some workers, including family policies for working parents that were felt to be unfair, barriers facing working class people and wider issues of representation of some groups.

Freelancers falling through the gaps

Importantly, the Inquiry’s report finds that there is a need for better data collection to improve understanding of the creative sector and strengthen preparedness, including policies and guidance to better support freelancers’ and the sector’s resilience.

Last year, Bectu welcomed the government’s commitment to appoint a Freelance Champion. With the role to be appointed soon, the Champion must look at how the tax and benefits system could better support freelancers to avoid these gaps in support.

Bectu will also be engaging with the appointee on our campaigning for improved sick pay and parental leave arrangements for freelancers. Access the full report.

Head of Bectu Philippa Childs said:

“The extremely difficult experiences of Bectu members during the pandemic turbocharged our lobbying work to improve rights for freelancers. Central to this has been our repeated calls for a Freelance Champion, a voice within government that understands freelancers’ unique needs and challenges, and so can properly advocate for them.

“We’ve already made it clear to the government that there can be no more delays in appointing this role, and that it must be fully and properly resourced.

“The Inquiry’s report makes this even more clear. Too many freelancers experienced challenges demonstrating they qualified for financial support in the pandemic. Many are still feeling the financial impact, and others chose to leave the sector altogether.

“If we are to learn from this experience and ensure freelancers don’t suffer the same fate in any future pandemics, the government must move swiftly to appoint this role. The appointee must have real powers to enact change and create policies that protect this vital part of the workforce.