The UK government has unveiled an ambitious, decade-long Creative Industries Sector Plan aiming to almost double the sector’s economic contribution from £17 billion in 2023 to £31 billion by 2035. This initiative represents a significant intensification of governmental support, with funding and strategic measures designed to help creative businesses scale, increase exports, and safeguard their innovative identities, particularly within the fashion industry.

Central to the plan’s commitment to fashion is continued investment in the British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN programme, which provides crucial support to emerging UK designers through funding for London Fashion Week showcases and business mentoring. The Government has pledged to sustain its financial backing of London Fashion Week while the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) will continue pushing international trade promotion for fashion and design through targeted programmes and participation in key international trade shows. Recognising the complex vulnerabilities in the fashion sector’s global supply chains, the DBT will establish a new Supply Chain Centre dedicated to analysing and addressing strategic supply chain weaknesses, with a view to building resilience via domestic capabilities and diversified imports.

Beyond fashion, the sector-wide measures detailed in the plan include increased support from the British Business Bank, offering enhanced access to debt and equity finance tailored for creative industries. A new working group is to be established to tackle barriers to intellectual property (IP)-backed lending, addressing a critical challenge for creative businesses reliant on IP assets. Furthermore, there will be a government and industry partnership to refresh the UK-wide £9 million creative careers service, aiming to bolster talent development. The plan also commits to expanding creative trade missions and markets, not only strengthening ties with established markets like the EU and the US but also focusing on rapidly growing regions such as the Asia-Pacific.

On the international front, the government aims to position UK IP rights as the best protected globally, aspiring to set a gold standard for enforcement nationally and internationally. A new Global Talent Taskforce, led from 10 Downing Street, will seek to enhance international talent attraction with more accessible Global Talent Visas, notably extending to a broader range of design professionals.

Laura Weir, CEO of the British Fashion Council, underscored the significance of these announcements, noting her recent meeting with Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Culture, where fashion emerged as a personal priority for DCMS. She highlighted the importance of sustained investment in NEWGEN and London Fashion Week as critical to nurturing the next generation of British fashion talent and preserving the sector’s global influence. Fashion’s inclusion in the plan, according to Weir, signals its dual role as a cultural powerhouse and an economic driver, reinforcing London Fashion Week’s status as an essential component of the UK’s global cultural and economic identity.

This Creative Industries Sector Plan is part of a broader UK industrial strategy that encompasses several key sectors, aiming to stimulate innovation, reduce business costs, and enhance the country’s competitive edge. The government will invest up to £2.8 billion in advanced manufacturing research and development, alongside plans to double clean energy investments to over £30 billion annually by 2035. The sector funding pot includes a £150 million growth fund specifically for creative industries, alongside significant support for life sciences and professional services, underscoring the government’s integrated approach to boosting high-value sectors through technology adoption, skills development, and international collaboration.

Earlier steps towards realising this vision include a £60 million package dedicated to supporting hundreds of creative businesses across the UK, with notable funds directed at start-up video game studios, music and film export initiatives, and ventures outside London, demonstrating a commitment to geographic diversity within the creative economy. Additionally, the British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN programme received a £2 million funding boost to underpin emerging designers’ business growth and international presence, providing a tangible early milestone in delivering the sector plan’s objectives.

While the government’s declarations offer a promising framework for the UK’s creative industries, key details regarding the scale, allocation, and timing of financial commitments remain pending as business planning for 2026–29 progresses. Stakeholders emphasize the need for transparency and ongoing dialogue to ensure that the sector’s interests remain central in the Government’s investment agenda. The involvement of industry voices through surveys, roundtables, and ministerial engagement has been pivotal in shaping policy and will continue to be vital as the plan transitions from announcement to implementation.

Overall, the UK’s Creative Industries Sector Plan is a robust statement of intent that recognises the economic, cultural, and international significance of sectors like fashion. By blending financial support, strategic trade initiatives, talent development, and IP protection, the plan aims to safeguard and amplify Britain’s position as a global creative leader over the next decade.

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Source: Noah Wire Services