UK industry urges kids’ TV tax break

Leading names from the UK children’s industry have come together to urge Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne to include a tax break for kids’ live-action television in his autumn statement tomorrow.

Doctor Who scribe Russell T Davies, who began his career in kids’ TV, and former BBC, ITV and Zodiak children’s chief Nigel Pickard are among the figures to have signed the open letter to Osborne.

Lobbying group the Children’s Media Foundation said the letter stresses the huge and immediate benefit of a tax incentive to the UK children’s production industry, specifically UK-produced drama and documentaries – genres it says have been in decline in recent years.

Osborne hinted last week that he would be including a tax break for UK children’s live-action in tomorrow’s statement, in which he will outlines his plans for the economy.

The government has recently set up tax breaks for films, high-end TV and animation made in the UK and the local children’s sector has spent that past six months campaigning to get the law extended to include kids’ live-action.

Other famous names to have signed the letter include Teletubbies creator Anne Wood, illustrator Sir Quentin Blake, author Malorie Blackman and How To Train Your Dragon author Cressida Cowell.

The potential tax break could be worth almost £3m (US$5.1m) a year to the government, according to research done on behalf of UK trade association Pact.