Culture and Heritage Capital portal
Source: gov.uk (2025-01-29)

This page brings together research, guidance and estimates to help government and private organisations consider the value of culture and heritage capital.

Using the portal

Learn how to use CHC in your work (#learn)

Find research papers (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/culture-and-heritage-capital-research-and-outputs)

Contribute to the CHC programme (#contribute)

What we do

The Culture and Heritage Capital (CHC) programme, led by DCMS, is working to broaden economic analysis across the creative, culture and heritage sectors. Measuring the economic contribution of these sectors is standard practice. We want to go further, and assess their impact on welfare, sustainable growth and long-term living standards too. By highlighting the wider benefits these sectors bring to individuals and society, we can support better decision-making.

Our aim is to create a formal approach to valuing culture and heritage capital, to sit alongside other approaches for natural, human, social and financial capital. We provide sectors, practitioners and academics with the tools to undertake CHC analysis and make a stronger case for investment. This includes:
- a bank of values demonstrating the market and non-market value of CHC assets
- guidance notes for appraisal and evaluation
- a set of National Culture and Heritage Capital accounts
Having a CHC approach can:
- enable users to independently assess and value culture and heritage (with information and resources from our team)
- reduce search costs for analysts and decision makers needing this type of analysis
- provide a platform to update tools and guidance as knowledge develops
- identify new evidence and areas for development
Our aims are consistent with HM Treasury’s Green Book principles (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-green-book-appraisal-and-evaluation-in-central-government/the-green-book-2020).

Watch this video to find out more about the CHC programme (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuLsyCQNyDA)

For current values figures for use in social cost-benefit analysis (SCBA), see the DCMS CHC Evidence Bank (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/culture-and-heritage-capital-research-and-outputs).

Contact the team

If you have any questions, get in touch.

Email: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

CHC Framework

Launched in 2021, the CHC Framework sets out the need for a transformational change to assessing value for money, incorporating economic, social and cultural value into appraisals and evaluation, (following best practice guidance set out by HM Treasury’s Green Book (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/the-green-book-and-accompanying-guidance-and-documents)).

You can use this framework to help articulate the impact of culture and heritage interventions. It is a developing resource that will evolve through ongoing consultation with the sector.

Embedding a Culture and Heritage Capital Approach

Read the latest version of the CHC framework (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/embedding-a-culture-and-heritage-capital-approach)

This version of the framework is an update to the 2021 Framework (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/valuing-culture-and-heritage-capital-a-framework-towards-decision-making/valuing-culture-and-heritage-capital-a-framework-towards-informing-decision-making), which provided a starting point and outlined the ambitions of the programme.

It should be read alongside the CHC proto-typology report which provided the theoretical foundations for the framework.

Culture and Heritage Capital (CHC) Proto-Typology Report (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/675c426d239b9237f0915378/xx-xxxx-xxxx_Ipsos_CHC_Proto_Typology_Note_12_12_24_-_GM_accessible.pdf) (PDF, 2.84 MB, 129 pages)

Collaboration

Stakeholders

DCMS is pleased to be collaborating with many of our arm’s-length bodies (ALBs) on CHC to establish an agreed economic approach for valuing our cultural heritage assets and the benefits they provide to people and businesses.

Some of these ALBs have their own websites dedicated to Culture and Heritage Capital with specific guidance:

Arts Council England CHC Portal (https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/culture-heritage-capital)

Historic England CHC Portal (https://historicengland.org.uk/research/current/social-and-economic-research/culture-and-heritage-capital/)

Many other ALBs are collaborating with us on CHC including:
- the British Film Institute (BFI)
- the British Council
- the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NHLF)
- Office for National Statistics (ONS)
Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)

In October 2022, DCMS and the AHRC opened bids for funding in order to develop a robust and holistic approach for capturing and articulating the value of culture and heritage. Six projects have been funded as part of this research programme.

For a summary of these projects see AHRC/DCMS CHC Research Programme - Bid Recipients (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ahrcdcms-culture-and-heritage-capital-research-call-bid-recipients)

The projects taken forward as part of the AHRC / DCMS Research Programme have been informed by the Scoping Culture and Heritage Capital report (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/scoping-culture-and-heritage-capital-report/scoping-culture-and-heritage-capital-report), commissioned jointly in November 2021 by AHRC and DCMS.

Governance

CHC Advisory Board

The CHC Programme is governed by an advisory board, connecting principal decision makers with leaders and experts from across culture and heritage organisations and academia. The Board provides strategic and technical direction to the programme, discusses the aims and objectives for the group and provides advice to help improve the sector’s ability to demonstrate its value.

The Board is chaired by Lord Neil Mendoza, Chairman of Historic England.

Full members include:
- Lord Neil Mendoza (Chair) - Chair, Historic England
- Hasan Bakhshi MBE - Director, Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre
- Prof Ian Bateman OBE - Professor, University of Exeter
- Prof May Cassar CBE - Founding Director, UCL Institute for Sustainable Heritage
- Prof Geoffrey Crossick MBE - Professor, School of Advanced Study, University of London
- Darren Henley OBE - Chief Executive, Arts Council England
- Sir Laurie Magnus - Chair, Heritage of London Trust
- Eilish McGuiness - Chief Executive, National Lottery Heritage Fund
- Prof Susana Mourato - Professor, LSE, Department for Geography and the Environment
- Saul Nassé - Chief Executive and Keeper of The National Archives
- René Olivieri - Chair, National Trust
- Jessica Pulay CBE - CEO, Debt Management Office (DMO)
- Ben Roberts - Chief Executive, British Film Institute
- Prof Christopher Smith - Executive Chair, Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
- Prof David Throsby AO - Professor, Macquarie University, Department of Economics
- Duncan Wilson CBE, OBE - Chief Executive, Historic England
Underneath the Advisory Board sits the CHC Steering Group and Working Group, with representation from across our ALBs and the culture and heritage sectors.

If your organisation is interested in joining the steering group, get in touch:

Email: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

CHC Research Expert Group

The CHC Research Programme, run by AHRC and DCMS, is overseen by the CHC Research Expert Group (REG).

The REG offers technical and advisory support, as well as monitoring projects to ensure they meet quality standards. Additionally, the REG ensures projects meet the programme objectives.

Members include:
- May Cassar CBE - Professor, University College London
- Geoffrey Crossick - Professor, University of London
- Douglas Noonan - Professor, IU Indianapolis
- David Stevenson - Professor, Queen Margaret University
- Dr. Catherine Eagleton - University of St Andrews
- Nicola Thomas - Professor, University of Exeter
- Alan Collins - Professor, Nottingham Trent University
- Giorgio Fazio - Research Director, Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - Natural Capital Team
Using CHC in your work

This guidance is for people who want to learn about culture and heritage capital and how to apply it.

Current guidance

In addition to the CHC Framework (#framework), guidance from Arts Council England (https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/culture-heritage-capital) is also available for specific assets.

Use these guidance notes if you are working for:

a regional museum

a local museum

a gallery

a theatre

More information will be added to this page as the programme develops.

Contribute to research

DCMS works closely with academics and the sector to develop the CHC Framework.

However, we are keen to hear from anyone who:
- would like to contribute to/get involved with the CHC programme
- has done/is doing work that may be relevant to the CHC programme
- would like to know more about our work
If this applies to you, get in touch.

Email: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).

Research case study: CHC conference

The Valuing Culture and Heritage Capital Conference was held on 11 March 2022. Attendees heard from experts and leaders in the sector who discussed the importance of valuing the benefits of culture and heritage, how the programme is being delivered and how people can use the resources made available by DCMS and partners.

Watch the Valuing Culture and Heritage Capital Conference 2022 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmQUbaisk9k)