On September 24, 2025, a pivotal moment unfolded for the United Kingdom’s booming creator economy. In a move hailed by many as long overdue, a cross-party group of Members of Parliament and peers launched the first dedicated All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) to represent the interests of the nation’s online content creators. This new forum, co-chaired by former digital ministers Feryal Clark MP and Lord Ed Vaizey, seeks to “champion” the social and economic contributions of creators, while also addressing the challenges they face in a rapidly evolving landscape.
The timing couldn’t be more significant. According to a 2024 Oxford Economics Impact Report, creators contributed a staggering £2.2 billion to the UK economy in the past year, supporting over 45,000 jobs. These figures underscore just how much the digital creator sector—spanning YouTube, TikTok, and beyond—has transformed the media and advertising industries. As The Guardian reports, individual streamers now routinely attract millions of subscribers, building global audiences from their bedrooms and studios.
Yet, despite this remarkable growth and influence, many creators say they feel marginalised or misunderstood by policymakers and traditional institutions. A recent YouTube consultation, drawing on insights from 10,000 UK creators, found that more than half (56%) do not believe they have a voice in shaping government policies that directly affect their livelihoods. The lack of official recognition, they argue, has led to persistent problems—ranging from difficulties accessing skills training and funding, to struggles finding studio space, obtaining filming permits, and even securing basic financial products like mortgages.
Feryal Clark, reflecting on her time in government, put it bluntly: “Digital creators are the trailblazers of a new creative revolution, rewriting the rules of culture, building empires from their bedrooms, driving billions into our economy. For too long, their genius has been undervalued in Westminster. This new cross-party forum will put that right: tearing down the barriers that stifle talent, championing creators as pioneers of our time and making sure Britain leads the world as the ultimate home of creativity, innovation and ambition.”
The APPG is being run by the Digital Creator Association and the Influencer Marketing Trade Body. Its mission is ambitious: to bring creators, digital platforms, and representatives from the wider creative industries into regular dialogue with policymakers. Among the priorities on their agenda are improving access to skills and training, securing more funding, enhancing filming infrastructure, and ensuring creators have meaningful industry representation. The group will also examine regulatory and commercial frameworks, with the hope of establishing clearer industry standards, updating business classification systems, and fostering an environment where brand-creator partnerships can flourish.
Scott Guthrie, director general of the Influencer Marketing Trade Body, argues that today’s creators are “no longer just content producers.” He sees them as vital bridges between brands and global audiences, exporters of British culture, and engines of commercial value. “The APPG must now focus on the regulatory and commercial frameworks that underpin this ecosystem: establishing clear industry standards, updating business classification systems and creating the policy environment where brand-creator partnerships can flourish,” Guthrie told Marketing Week.
The government appears to be listening. Downing Street hosted its first influencer reception at the end of July, a symbolic gesture that many in the industry see as a sign of shifting attitudes. Alongside the APPG’s launch, YouTube is partnering with the National Film & TV School to launch a ‘Creator Incubator’ programme, aimed at extending technical skills for the next generation of digital storytellers. The hope is that initiatives like this will help address the skills gap and provide much-needed support for emerging talent.
Alison Lomax, managing director for YouTube UK and Ireland, emphasized the platform’s global reach and cultural impact as it celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. “Without targeted support for this critical creative sector, we risk undermining a key source of future growth and revenue for this country’s £115bn creative industries,” she said. According to Ipsos data from May 2025, UK adults now spend an average of 78 minutes a day watching YouTube across various devices, making it the largest commercial platform in the country—outpacing all traditional TV channels, streaming services, and other social platforms in both reach and watch time. The platform claims an audience of 47.9 million adults in the UK.
Trust is another key factor driving the sector’s growth. YouTube’s own research found that 78% of viewers agree the platform has the “most trusted” creators and creator content, while 80% of Gen Z surveyed in the UK say YouTube has the most trusted creators for product recommendations. Brands are taking notice: Kantar’s 2025 Media Reactions Report found that nearly two-thirds (61%) of marketers plan to increase their spend on influencer content next year, while over half (53%) intend to boost spending on social commerce ads. In May, 15 new brand signatories—including HSBC, Sainsbury’s, and Giffgaff—joined the influencer marketing code of conduct, bringing the total to 39, a 77% jump in just one month.
Innovation continues apace. YouTube is investing in artificial intelligence, rolling out non-skippable AI-powered ad formats designed to help brands reach its enormous UK audience. Meanwhile, the platform’s business model remains a subject of debate. According to The Guardian, YouTube generated more than $36 billion in revenue last year, typically taking a 45% share of advertising revenue from creators’ channels. This split, along with the platform’s dominance, has prompted calls from Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and regulator Ofcom for YouTube to give more prominence to traditional, trusted broadcasters and to ensure a fairer deal over the revenue generated from their content.
For many creators, however, the most pressing challenges remain closer to home. The YouTube consultation revealed that successful content creators have sometimes been questioned by banks about their jobs when applying for loans or mortgages, highlighting the lingering lack of recognition from financial institutions. Chris Curtis MP, an APPG officer and chair of the Labour Growth Group, summed up the stakes: the creator growth story, he argued, is “integral to the growth of the nation.” The new forum, he said, will work to “remove the barriers holding creators back and unlock their full potential as drivers of economic prosperity across our communities.”
As the UK’s creator economy continues to mature, the launch of the APPG marks a significant step towards giving digital creators the voice, support, and recognition they have long sought. Whether the group can deliver on its ambitious goals remains to be seen, but for now, the message from Westminster is clear: the era of the undervalued creator may finally be coming to an end.
