The Film & TV Production Restart Scheme, which helped UK productions cover the cost of Covid-related shutdowns, will end 0n 30th April.
The UK Government first introduced the Film & TV Production Restart Scheme in the summer of 2020. After the first lockdown, insurers refused to provide any kind of Covid cover, and so an alternative was needed to help the industry financially. Now, with the announcement that all Covid restrictions will shortly come to an end, Deadline reports that the Scheme will also end on 30th April.
In 2021, the British Film and TV industry spent a record of almost six billion pounds, showing that the financial support was definitely needed. The scheme paid 20% of a show or film’s budget if it was delayed because of Covid, and 70% if it had to be abandoned altogether. Over 1000 productions have made use of the help, including high profile shows like Peaky Blinders and Midsomer Murders.
The Scheme is ending in the hope that insurers will begin to provide cover, and a spokesman for the Government’s Digital, Culture, Media, and Sports department has said that they’re willing to keep an eye on the situation. Reassuringly, they are also ready to intervene if insurer’s rates are too high. There have previously been concerns that cast and crew would be put at risk if productions couldn’t get Covid cover, but it sounds as though the Government are taking steps to prevent this.
We’ve got our fingers crossed that even without the Scheme the British film industry will get back on its feet and continue making the excellent films and shows we love.
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