British animators say they’re breathing a sigh of relief after the UK government released its Creative Industries Sector Plan this morning with an investment package of US$511 million (GBP£380 million) to be divvied up between film, TV, gaming, music and several other industries.

The long-anticipated plan is poised to “boost regional growth, stimulate private investment, and create thousands more high-quality jobs,” culture secretary Lisa Nandy announced.

Breaking down the numbers, the film and TV sectors are set to benefit from a “Screen Growth Package” of US$101 million (£GBP75 million) over the next three years that’s designed to boost UK content development, increase creative exports and scale up programs like the Global Screen Fund (to US$24 million annually) and the BFI Film Academy.

This announcement highlighted modernizing co‑pro treaties with Canada, Australia and New Zealand as a priority, in addition to ensuring adequate tax reliefs to attract international studios. The government also pledged support to public broadcasters’ digital growth and transformation plans.

On the gaming front, there’s a US$40-million (GBP£30-million) “Video Games Growth Package” to back start-up studios and developers. And the plan also includes an expansion of the UK Games Fund and the London Games Festival.

While London remains the country’s most prominent creative hub, the government is also funneling US$202 million (GBP£150 million) toward creative businesses in Manchester, Liverpool, the West Midlands, West Yorkshire, the North East and the West of England.

“It’s good to see children’s content being included in the government’s wider plans for the creative industries,” says Blue Zoo MD Oli Hyatt. “This new package won’t fix the big challenges our sector’s facing—like funding, commissioning and long-term sustainability—but it’s a step in the right direction.” 

“Support for skills, innovation and regional growth could open up new opportunities, and we’re especially hopeful about what it might mean for the next generation of creators,” Hyatt adds. “Children’s media plays a hugely important role in shaping young minds, and it deserves to be part of the conversation when we talk about the future of the UK’s screen industries. We are hopeful that the expansion of the funds administered by the BFI can help us with our co-productions and exporting our IPs around the world.”

Animation UK welcomed the plan with a public statement, noting that the country’s animation sector will benefit from the Screen Growth Package and the enhanced funding for the UK Global Screen Fund, which should strengthen “international market access, co-production and distribution of British screen content including animation.”

Kate O’Connor, executive chair of Animation UK, said in the statement: “We are especially pleased to see the inclusion of many of the priorities we set out in the Animation UK Manifesto 2025, including the development of animation hubs, enhanced R&D investment, and a clear recognition of the need to unlock access to finance and build a future-facing skills pipeline.”

The complete Creative Industries Sector Plan is available here.