Over 110,000 visual creators share nearly £6.2 million through annual DACS Payback distributions
This year’s Payback royalties mark a record high, with DACS distributing £6,188,133 to more than 110,000 visual creators and their representatives.
Both the total sum and the number of recipients have grown since 2024, when £5.3 million was distributed to just over 109,000 artists - reflecting the growing impact of the scheme.
As a not-for-profit organisation, DACS retains only a small percentage of the royalties we collect to cover essential costs, while continually seeking ways to maximise returns for artists. In 2024, our administration rate was reduced from 15% to 14%, ensuring that an even greater share of royalties went directly to artists, illustrators, photographers, and their beneficiaries.
About Payback
Payback is a service administered by DACS that allocates royalties to artists, illustrators, photographers, artists, and the beneficiaries of their estates. These royalties are a form of collective licensing and cover certain secondary uses of creative works that are otherwise difficult to monitor and license on an individual basis.
Such uses include:
- The photocopying and scanning of books, magazines, and journals
- The recording and retransmission of television broadcasts
By ensuring creators are compensated for these uses, Payback recognises the ongoing value of artistic works and provides royalties to those who own them.
It's the closest you can get to free money. It's like someone saying: "Well done on making work and getting it published - here, go and buy yourself something nice!"
Illustrator
Supporting the creative community
At a time when many creators continue to face financial pressures, from the rising cost of living to the uncertainty of freelance and project-based work - the Payback scheme provides a vital and reliable source of income. For some, these royalties help sustain day-to-day living costs; for others, they offer the means to purchase materials, fund studio space, or invest in new projects and opportunities.
Beyond the immediate financial relief, Payback also recognises and affirms the ongoing value of artistic work long after its initial publication or broadcast, offering a sense of acknowledgment for their contribution to the cultural landscape.
