How Will The UK’s New Right To Work Scheme Affect The Creative Industry?

From 1 October 2026, the UK's illegal working regime is undergoing a huge change. The new rules are complex and bring significant changes to who must carry out right to work checks and when. For businesses operating in the creative industries, the impact could be particularly far-reaching. Read on to learn more.

For a summary of what’s changing, see our previous article.

Why should creatives care about immigration rules?

The creative industries are significantly affected by the expanded regime because of the way work is structured across the sector. Unlike industries with stable, long-term workforces, creative businesses - from film and television production to live music, fashion, advertising, gaming and publishing - typically operate through networks of short-term, project-based engagements, layered supply chains, and a high proportion of freelance and self-employed talent. As a result, the new regime has the potential to affect not only immigration and employment compliance,