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The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ uses standard contracts to engage artists, writers, presenters and other on-air contributors. Which contract is used depends on the nature of the work you’re doing.

Employment status for tax

How you will be contracted will depend on the employment status for tax for that engagement.

Each engagement is assessed to determine whether it is either:

• employed for tax purposes, or
• self-employed.

For more information and some FAQs about Employment Status, how it is assessed and what this means, refer to IR35 & Employment Status for on-air contributors.

Standard Terms and Conditions

In 2017 the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ undertook a thorough review of the contract types and terms it uses to engage on-air talent.

We have had extensive discussions with the joint unions (NUJ and Bectu), representatives from the agent community and some of our on-air talent. A broad consensus was reached and going forwards we will be using the terms set out below. If you have any questions, please contact your usual Business Affairs representative.

If you are employed for tax purposes you will be engaged directly as an individual worker, these FAQs provide information about the worker contract – benefits entitlement, fees, how the benefits work, etc.

NB the terms may vary depending upon your contractual status i.e. employed for tax or self-employed, individual or service company etc.

Download the template Employed for tax contracts here:

You will need to .

Download the template Self-employed contracts here:

Use of personal service companies or other intermediates will only be on a gross paid self-employed basis.

The following three contracts have been discontinued:

Talent Union Agreements

The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ has frameworks for engaging artists, writers, musicians, etc. agreed with talent unions such as Equity, Musicians Union, Writers Guild, etc. The frameworks set out conditions of work, fee rates and re-use fees for your work.

If a framework applies to your engagement then this will be used. In fact, the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ will issue a short contract to you that references one the relevant frameworks below:

FastFee

FastFee is an automated system that Production can use to quickly contract and pay many short and lower value engagements.

Production can directly engage you via the FastFee system. The Fast Fee contract is posted to you but there is no need to sign and return the contract as payment is made automatically after the work is complete.

Fast Fee is used to engage certain ‘all rights’ contributors and actors as well as all walk-ons and supporting artists. It is also used to pay expenses and contributor clip fees.

FastFee can only be used for self-employed engagements. It cannot be used where the engagement is one of employed for tax as the FastFee system does not make the PAYE tax and NI deductions required by law.

A commonly used 'all rights' FastFee contract template is available to download here:

Business Affairs

If your engagement is higher value or more complicated then the contract will be raised and issued to you by one of the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ’s Business Affairs teams.

Each of the genres and major production bases across the UK has a Business Affairs team. The name of your Business Affairs contact will be in the contract sent to you.

Personal Service Companies

The use of PSCs in the media industry is under review. Whether the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ can engage you via a PSC will depend on the employment status.

Employed for tax engagements

If you are employed for tax purposes, you will be engaged directly as an individual worker and not through a PSC. If you have used a PCS for previous engagements with the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ, you should take advice from a financial and/or legal expert on how this change will affect you.

provide information about the being engaged as a worker employed for tax.

Self-employed engagements

It is your choice whether you contract as an individual or through a PSC. If the nature of the engagement changes and becomes one of employed for tax then it will not be possible to continue engaging you via a PSC.

You should take advice from a financial and/or legal expert as to what is best for you as engaging via a PSC or other intermediary will affect your legal entitlement to worker benefits provided by the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ and so how the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ remunerates you.