PACT (Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television)

Overview

PACT (Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television) is the UK trade association representing independent film and television production companies. Founded in 1991, PACT represents more than 500 member companies ranging from major independent studios to small independent production entities. PACT functions as the primary collective bargaining representative for independent producers in the UK, negotiating with unions including BECTU, Equity, Directors UK (DUK), the Musicians' Union (MU), the Film Artistes Association (FAA), and the Writers' Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) on collective agreements that govern crew wages, performer rates, and writer compensation on independent productions.

PACT's role in the UK production landscape is broadly analogous to the AMPTP in the US: it is the industry body that sits across the table from unions and guilds during collective agreement negotiations. The agreements PACT negotiates establish the minimum rates and working conditions that govern the majority of independent UK film and television production. PACT also negotiates Terms of Trade with public service broadcasters (PSBs) governing how independent productions are commissioned and delivered.

Membership Grades and Costs

PACT offers several membership grades based on company type and turnover. All fees are current as of 2026.

Affiliate Membership

For small, start-up companies producing or distributing TV, film, or commercialised content with annual turnover under GBP 200,000. Available for a maximum of 3 years, after which companies must upgrade to Full Producer membership.

• Annual fee: GBP 350 plus VAT (GBP 420 incl. VAT), payable in monthly instalments of GBP 35 (incl. VAT)
• Eligibility: Must be actively trading in the UK; turnover below GBP 200,000 per annum; cannot have previously been a Full Producer member; cannot be part of a group with existing Full Producer membership; cannot be a public service broadcaster
• Benefits: Legal and business affairs support, free access to Pact events, option to sit on Pact Working Groups
• Limitation: Affiliate members cannot register individual productions to access Pact Equity Agreements without paying a separate Production Levy

Full Producer Membership

For companies that produce TV, film, or commercialised content, or rights distribution companies, that do not qualify for Affiliate membership.

• Fee structure: Based on an ascending scale tied to company turnover per the most recent accounts filed at Companies House. The minimum fee is GBP 525 plus VAT. For group applications, consolidated group turnover applies.
• Payment: Annual payment or monthly Direct Debit
• Benefits: Full access to Pact's suite of contracts and agreements, legal and business affairs support, access to Pact Equity Agreements, escrow management services, event access, and Working Group participation

Other Membership Types

PACT also offers Film membership (for companies focused solely on film), Broadcaster membership, and Facilitator membership (for companies providing services to the production sector). Each has fixed fee structures. See the PACT membership page for the full fee calculator.

Pact Production Levy

For productions set up through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) - typically to access High-end TV Tax Credit - the SPV must pay the Pact Production Levy rather than having the production income counted toward the parent company's membership fee. The levy is based on production budget and is payable before services are provided.

Production Levy Rates (from April 1, 2022)

The levy is capped at GBP 31,000 per production. For productions with budgets over GBP 50 million, a membership top-up fee may apply at renewal to ensure fee parity with members whose production income flows through parent company accounts. Any levy paid is deducted from future membership fees when the production income appears in the parent company's accounts. See the Production Levy rates page for details.

PACT Collective Agreements

PACT maintains a suite of collective agreements covering different production categories and union counterparties. Each agreement has tiered provisions for different budget levels.

PACT/BECTU Agreements

The TV Drama Agreement categorises productions into three budget bands: Band 1 (up to GBP 850,000 per broadcast hour), Band 2 (GBP 850,001 to GBP 3,000,000), and Band 3 (above GBP 3,000,000). The producer must notify the worker of the budget band in the Deal Memo. Contracts of engagement must be issued no later than one quarter through the engagement or within 6 weeks of start, whichever is shorter.

Other PACT Agreements

• PACT/Equity: Covers performers on independent productions
• PACT/WGGB (Writers' Guild of Great Britain): Covers screenwriters
• PACT/Directors UK: Covers directors
• PACT/MU (Musicians' Union): Covers musicians
• PACT/FAA (Film Artistes Association): Covers background artistes and stand-ins

PACT also negotiates separate agreements with the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and other broadcasters governing the terms under which independent productions are commissioned and delivered for broadcast. These are distinct from the labor agreements that govern crew and talent. See the PACT collective agreements page for details.

UK Tax Relief and Production Standards

PACT's advocacy encompasses the UK's creative industry tax relief system, including the Film Tax Relief and High-End Television Tax Relief that are fundamental to the economics of UK independent production. The current UK tax relief system includes:

• Film Tax Relief (FTR): Up to 25% payable cash rebate on qualifying UK expenditure for films with budgets up to GBP 20 million; enhanced Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC) for larger productions
• High-End Television (HETV) Tax Relief: For drama productions with minimum spend of GBP 1 million per broadcast hour
• Children's Television Tax Relief: For qualifying children's programming
• Animation Tax Relief: For qualifying animation productions

For international co-productions seeking to access UK tax relief, compliance with standard industry agreements - including the PACT/BECTU and PACT/Equity terms - is typically expected as part of demonstrating that a production is a genuine UK production. The BFI Cultural Test for Film requires 18 out of 35 points across cultural content, contribution, hubs, and practitioners, and using UK crew contributes directly to passing that test.

What Filmmakers Should Know

UK independent producers benefit from PACT membership through access to standard agreement templates, legal guidance on industry contracts, rate cards, and advocacy resources. Affiliate membership at GBP 350/year plus VAT is available for companies with turnover under GBP 200,000, making PACT accessible to start-ups. Full Producer membership fees scale with turnover, starting at GBP 525 plus VAT. For productions set up through SPVs, the Production Levy applies on a per-production basis, ranging from GBP 525 (net) for budgets under GBP 500,000 to a cap of GBP 31,000 for large productions.

For international productions co-producing in the UK, understanding the PACT agreements that govern UK production is essential before crew negotiations begin. The PACT/BECTU TV Drama Agreement's three budget bands determine minimum rates, and productions must notify crew of their band classification in the Deal Memo. Compliance with PACT/BECTU and PACT/Equity terms is expected when accessing UK tax relief. Even without formal PACT membership, international producers should familiarise themselves with these agreements to prevent costly misunderstandings during crew negotiations.

See Also

For PACT's union counterparts in UK production, see BECTU and Equity (UK) in this directory. For the BFI's role in UK film funding and cultural certification, see BFI in this directory. For how UK co-production financing interacts with guild agreements, see Distribution Deals Explained. Use the Indie Film Budget Calculator to estimate crew costs against PACT/BECTU minimum rates when building a UK production budget.