Film and TV Charity Support Line
UKFree, confidential 24-hour support for anyone working behind the scenes in UK film, TV and cinema. Help with mental health, money worries, legal and workplace issues, plus counselling.
Free for everyone
Resources
Useful, trusted links for Film and TV crew in the UK and Ireland: what to charge, where to get support, and help with money and tax.
Resources for the UK
United Kingdom
Mental health & wellbeing
Freelance life can be tough. These services are free and confidential.
Need to talk to someone right now?
Call Samaritans free, day or night, on 116 123. If you’d rather text, text SHOUT to 85258. If you’re in immediate danger, call 999.
Mind: mental health helplines
UKA guide to mental health helplines and where to find the right support for you.
Training, work & rights
Training and bursaries, support at work, and help if something goes wrong.
ScreenSkills
UKTraining, mentoring and bursaries for UK screen crew. Bursaries can help with training fees, travel, childcare, access costs and kit, and freelancers are prioritised.
CIISA
UKThe Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority: independent, confidential support if you experience bullying, harassment or discrimination at work.
Access to Work
UKGovernment grants for practical support at work if you’re disabled, neurodivergent or have a health condition. Self-employed people can apply too.
Raising Films
UKSupport, resources and campaigning for parents and carers working in film and TV.
Bectu membership
UKThe union for UK creative industries crew. Members get legal advice, contract checks, help chasing unpaid invoices and rate card support.
Money & financial support
Grants, budgeting help, debt advice and pensions for freelancers.
Hardship funds shared by Screen Freelancers UK. Each fund has its own eligibility criteria. Check current availability and application requirements with the organisation.
Directors Charitable Foundation: emergency grants
UKEmergency grants for eligible directors facing acute financial need. Check the fund’s eligibility criteria before applying.
Film and TV Charity: Stop-Gap Grants
UKGrants for eligible behind-the-scenes film, TV and cinema workers facing urgent financial difficulties. Check the fund’s eligibility criteria before applying.
Prospect Benevolent Fund (via Bectu)
UKGrants for eligible union members or their dependants in financial distress. Member login required.
Royal Variety Charity: financial assistance
UKFinancial assistance for eligible entertainment professionals, on screen and behind the scenes. Check the charity’s eligibility criteria before applying.
Equity: Benevolent Fund
UKHardship support for eligible Equity members. Scroll down to Apply Now on the linked page. Member login required.
Equity Charitable Trust: welfare grants
UKWelfare grants for eligible performance professionals facing unexpected hardship. Current Equity membership is not required.
Actors’ Trust: Bounce Back Grants
UKGrants for eligible actors and stage managers facing unexpected costs. Not available for unemployment alone.
NABS: support grants
UKSupport grants for eligible advertising and media professionals, including freelancers. Check the fund’s eligibility criteria before applying.
Backup Tech Charity: hardship grants
UKHardship grants for eligible technical entertainment professionals, including technical production crew. Check the fund’s eligibility criteria before applying.
Film and TV Charity: financial support
UKGrants for industry workers going through a tough time, plus a budget planner, bill prioritiser and benefits calculator.
MoneyHelper: self-employment
UKFree, impartial, government-backed guidance on budgeting and managing an irregular freelance income.
StepChange
UKFree, confidential debt advice from a debt charity.
MoneyHelper: pensions for the self-employed
UKNo employer means no automatic pension. Free, impartial guidance on choosing a pension, tax relief and the State Pension, plus a self-employed helpline.
Tax: Making Tax Digital
The basics of tax if you’re self-employed in the UK. This is general information, not tax advice. For your own situation, speak to an accountant or tax adviser.
What you need to know
- Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax changes how self-employed people and landlords report to HMRC.
- Who it applies to depends on your qualifying income: your total self-employed and property income before expenses (not profit).
- From 6 April 2026: income over £50,000. From 6 April 2027: over £30,000. From 6 April 2028: over £20,000.
- You keep digital records using HMRC-compatible software and send a short summary of income and expenses every quarter.
- A final declaration by 31 January replaces the usual Self Assessment return. Missed deadlines build up penalty points.
- HMRC won’t sign you up automatically, so check if and when it applies to you. You can apply for an exemption if you can’t use digital tools.
GOV.UK: do you need to use Making Tax Digital?
UKHMRC’s checker and guidance on when MTD for Income Tax starts for you, how to sign up and exemptions.
GOV.UK: MTD-compatible software
UKHMRC’s list of software you can use for MTD for Income Tax, including some free options.
LITRG: Making Tax Digital explained
UKPlain-English guidance from the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group, a charity, on what MTD means for you.
GOV.UK: Self Assessment tax returns
UKRegistering, deadlines and paying tax when you’re self-employed.
Resources for Ireland
Ireland
Mental health & wellbeing
Freelance life can be tough. These services are free and confidential.
Need to talk to someone right now?
Call Samaritans free, day or night, on 116 123. If you’d rather text, text HELLO to 50808. If you’re in immediate danger, call 112 or 999.
Minding Creative Minds
IrelandFree 24/7 wellbeing and support programme for people working in the Irish creative and screen sector, including crew.
Pieta
IrelandFree 24/7 support for anyone with thoughts of suicide or self-harm, and for people bereaved by suicide. Text HELP to 51444 if you’d rather not call.
Aware
IrelandFree support line, groups and courses for people affected by depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder.
HSE: YourMentalHealth
IrelandThe HSE’s guide to mental health support and services in Ireland, with a free information line.
Jigsaw
IrelandFree mental health support for young people aged 12 to 25, online and in person.
Mental Health Ireland
IrelandInformation on looking after your mental health and finding local support services.
Training, work & rights
Training, support at work, and help if something goes wrong.
Screen Skills Ireland
IrelandScreen Ireland’s skills programme: training courses, schemes for people new to the industry, and career development for crew.
Safe to Create
IrelandDignity at work support for the arts and screen sector, including a free, confidential service if you experience bullying, harassment or sexual harassment.
Workplace Relations Commission
IrelandInformation on your employment rights in Ireland, and how to make a complaint or resolve a dispute.
Money & financial support
Free money advice, budgeting help and pensions guidance.
MABS
IrelandIreland’s free, confidential money advice and budgeting service.
Pensions Authority
IrelandIndependent guidance on pensions if you’re self-employed, including PRSAs (Personal Retirement Savings Accounts) and tax relief.
Tax if you’re self-employed
The basics of tax if you’re self-employed in Ireland. This is general information, not tax advice. For your own situation, speak to an accountant or tax adviser.
What you need to know
- Self-employed people in Ireland register with Revenue and file a Form 11 return each year through the Revenue Online Service (ROS).
- It works on a “pay and file” basis: you file last year’s return, pay any balance owed and pay preliminary tax for this year, all by 31 October.
- Filing and paying through ROS gives you a few extra weeks. Check Revenue for this year’s extended date.
- As well as Income Tax, you pay USC and Class S PRSI on your profits.
- Keep records of all your income, expenses, receipts and invoices. You don’t send them in, but Revenue can ask to see them.
- Film and TV crew can be taxed as employees (PAYE) or self-employed depending on the job, so check your status for each contract.
Revenue: self-assessment and self-employment
IrelandRegistering as self-employed, preliminary tax, expenses and credits.
Revenue: filing your tax return
IrelandHow and when to file your Form 11, including the ROS deadline.
Revenue: employed or self-employed?
IrelandRevenue’s guidance on working out your employment status for a job.
Citizens Information: tax if you’re self-employed
IrelandA clear, free guide to Income Tax, USC, PRSI and expenses for self-employed people.
TALENT. SORTED. isn’t connected to these organisations. We link to them because they’re trusted, free sources of help. Links last checked October 2026.