SVOD boosts UK independent production, Pact reveals

The annual Pact Census sector report found that international TV revenues rose by £214m to £1.57bn, an increase of 15.8% year-on-year. These international TV revenues represented 41.1% of total sector revenues in 2025.  

International digital commissions grew by 7.9% to a record £916m, accounting for 72.3% of international TV revenue. Pact said investment by SVOD platforms such as Netflix and Amazon in the UK is now at an all-time high as maturing platforms continue to grow their commissioning budgets, cementing the UK’s position as a destination for high-value productions. This is due to the UK’s attractive production skills, talent, and investment ecosystem. 

International sales of finished programmes reportedly returned to usual levels, recovering from the 2023-24 production backlog after a sharp 26.8% decline in 2024, with SVODs investing in high-value productions such as The Gentlemen, Steal, Dept. Q. and Legends within the UK. 

However, Pact said the benefits are not evenly distributed across the sector, with smaller companies (those earning under £25m) accounting for only 15.5% of total international commissioning revenue. 

Nevertheless, domestic TV revenues contracted by £98m in 2025, falling just below the £2bn mark for the first time in five years to £1.99bn.  

This decline was driven largely by a drop in UK primary commissions by 4.67% to £1.65bn, with a small decline in public service broadcaster spend and a larger decline in multichannel spend. This slowdown was caused by multiple factors, including a contraction in the advertising market, a shift in viewers away from broadcast TV, and continued inflationary pressures on production costs. 

The majority of primary commissioning revenue continued to originate from PSBs, with their share remaining steady at 85.9% (£1.42bn).  

The Pact Census is conducted through a financial survey of Pact members.  

According to a separate analysis of Companies House filings by IndieLab, 40% of the UK's small independent television production companies are at risk of closure within two years. Discover more here.