Creative industry tax reliefs for Corporation Tax
Source: gov.uk (2025-03-13)

Check if your creative industry company qualifies as the production company for Corporation Tax reliefs or expenditure credits.

There are 8 Corporation Tax reliefs and 2 Corporation Tax expenditure credits available to companies in the creative industries.

From 1 April 2024, all claims must be accompanied by an additional information form (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/support-your-claim-for-creative-industry-tax-reliefs). This will allow you to provide the necessary evidence to support your claim.

Watch a video about how Creative Industry Tax reliefs work.

What are Creative Industry Tax Reliefs and how do they work? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5hz64Y8pa8)

Tax reliefs

The reliefs allow qualifying companies to:
- increase their amount of allowable expenditure
- reduce the amount of Corporation Tax the company needs to pay
If your company makes a loss, you may be able to surrender the loss and convert some or all of it into a payable tax credit.

Expenditure credits

The expenditure credits give qualifying companies a taxable credit based on your amount of allowable expenditure.

This is used to pay off your Corporation Tax liability and can also be set against other tax liabilities.

Your company receives any remaining amount as a payable credit.

Who can claim

Your company can claim creative industry tax reliefs or expenditure credits if it’s:
- liable to Corporation Tax
- films
- high-end television
- children’s television
- animated television
- video games
- theatrical productions
- orchestral concerts
- museum or gallery exhibitions
- actively involved with decision-making
- directly negotiates, contracts and pays for rights, goods and services
Your company must have responsibility throughout development, from the start of pre-production until the completion of the film, programme or game.

For theatrical productions, orchestral concerts or exhibitions, the company must be responsible for producing, running and closing the production.

Check if your company qualifies as the production company

Check now (https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-your-creative-industry-company-qualifies-for-corporation-tax-relief)

Cultural test

To qualify for creative industry tax reliefs, all films, television programmes or video games must be certified as British. They must pass a cultural test or qualify through an internationally agreed co-production treaty.

The British Film Institute (BFI) manages certification and qualification on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

The British Film Institute will issue:
- an interim certificate for uncompleted work
- a final certificate where production has finished
You can find more information about certification on the British Film Institute website (https://www.bfi.org.uk/certification).

Creative industry tax reliefs and expenditure credits

If your company qualifies as the production company and passes the cultural test (if applicable), you may be able to claim the following reliefs or expenditure credits on your Company Tax Return:
- Film Tax Relief (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claiming-film-tax-relief-for-corporation-tax)
- Animation Tax Relief (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claiming-animation-tax-relief-for-corporation-tax)
- High-end Television Tax Relief (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claiming-high-end-television-tax-relief-for-corporation-tax)
- Children’s Television Tax Relief (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claiming-childrens-television-tax-relief-for-corporation-tax)
- Video Games Tax Relief (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claiming-video-games-tax-relief-for-corporation-tax)
- Theatre Tax Relief (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claiming-theatre-tax-relief-for-corporation-tax)
- Orchestra Tax Relief (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claiming-orchestra-tax-relief-for-corporation-tax)
- Museums and Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claiming-museums-and-galleries-exhibition-tax-relief-for-corporation-tax)
- Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-audio-visual-expenditure-credits-for-corporation-tax)
- Video Games Expenditure Credit (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claiming-video-games-expenditure-credits-for-corporation-tax)
Further information

A specialist unit within HMRC deals with claims for creative industry tax reliefs and credits. You can send your questions about claiming the reliefs to the Creative Industries Unit (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/creative-industry-tax-reliefs).