UK YouTube creators contributed £2.2bn to economy in 2024 as cross-party group launches

YouTube content creators contributed £2.2 billion to the UK economy in 2024 and supported about 45,000 jobs, according to an impact report by Oxford Economics. The findings come as an all-party parliamentary group dedicated to representing UK creators and influencers was launched in Parliament, signaling a growing recognition of the sector's economic and cultural influence.

Co-chairing the initiative, Feryal Clark, Labour MP for Enfield North, described creators as "trailblazers of a new creative revolution" who have been "undervalued in Westminster for too long." The remarks underscore a push to bring digital content work into policy discussions that have historically focused on traditional arts and media routes.

British content creator Lilly Sabri, who has about six and a half million followers on YouTube, welcomed the research and the formation of the parliamentary group. She told the BBC that she began as a creator eight years ago and has since launched multiple businesses. "For many years people have questioned whether being a content creator is a real job, and whether you can actually build a sustainable career from it," she said, highlighting how platforms have enabled entrepreneurship and employment across her ventures.

APPGs are informal groups in Parliament that have no official power, but they are able to provide industry insights directly to policymakers. There are about 500 such groups representing a wide range of sectors and interests, and proponents say they can help surface practical challenges facing specific communities, including creators and influencers, to lawmakers.

Clark said the new cross-party forum will tear down the barriers that stifle talent, championing creators as pioneers of our time, and making sure Britain leads the world as the ultimate home of creativity, innovation and ambition. Her remarks reflect a broader aim to translate digital economy work into tangible policy support, including training, funding, and access to appropriate studio spaces and permits that creators say are often hard to obtain.

Sabri stressed she is a trained professional whose physiotherapy degree informs her approach, but that YouTube has been central to her career growth. "I started as a content creator on YouTube eight years ago, launched my first business around three years ago and my second shortly after. Even though my physiotherapy degree is an integral part of what I do, without YouTube I wouldn't be where I am today and I wouldn't have launched these businesses and employed as many people as I do," she told BBC News.

This is not the first sign that streamers and influencers are entering the political mainstream. This summer, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer invited 90 influencers to a reception at 10 Downing Street, signaling a higher profile for the sector among policymakers. In the United States, the White House has opened up its press briefings to include content creators and influencers alongside traditional journalists, reflecting a broader shift toward engaging digital creators in official communications.

Industry observers say the Oxford Economics findings underscore the breadth of the creator economy beyond entertainment, touching on education, commerce, marketing, and entrepreneurship. The newly formed parliamentary group aims to translate that impact into policy that lowers barriers to entry, supports training and funding, and fosters access to studio spaces and filming permits. As digital platforms evolve, the policy conversation in the UK is expanding to address how creators can sustain growth while balancing platform governance and rights.