Government unveils new strategy to support the UK Music Industry

The UK Government has launched Turn It Up: Our Plan for Music, a new national strategy aimed at strengthening the UK’s music sector through investment in talent, education, grassroots venues, festivals and the wider music industry.

The strategy is intended to help ensure that the UK remains a leading global music nation while improving access to music for people from all backgrounds. It brings together existing initiatives alongside new investment to support artists, venues, educators, festivals and music businesses.

While the strategy covers a broad range of cultural and economic initiatives, it also contains several proposals that will be of particular interest to licensed premises, festival organisers, event operators and licensing practitioners.

The Government recognises that the licensing framework has an important role to play in supporting live music, festivals and events. Although many of the proposals will require further consultation, updated guidance or legislative change before taking effect, the overall direction of travel is clearly towards greater consistency, proportionality and flexibility within the licensing regime.

What are the proposed licensing changes?

The strategy identifies a number of proposals intended to support the live music sector while maintaining the licensing objectives.

Agent of Change

The Government proposes strengthening the Agent of Change principle through updates to the National Planning Policy Framework, with revised planning guidance expected to follow. Local authorities are also being encouraged to reflect the principle within their own licensing policies to help protect existing music venues from the impact of new residential or commercial development.

Noise and statutory nuisance

The strategy proposes a review of the statutory nuisance regime to improve consistency and proportionality, particularly in relation to the management of noise associated with live music and events.

Temporary Event Notices

The Government intends to legislate to permanently increase the number of Temporary Event Notices (TENs) available to licensed premises from 15 to 20 per calendar year, while also increasing the total number of permitted event days from 21 to 26.

Festivals and established events

The strategy proposes updating National Licensing Policy Framework guidance to provide greater certainty for festivals and established events.

The Government’s stated intention is that established events should normally benefit from premises licences lasting at least five years, with 10-year or lifetime licences potentially being appropriate in some circumstances. New events may benefit from a presumption in favour of three-year licences, while one-off or trial events could continue to receive one-year licences where appropriate.

Outdated licence conditions

Local authorities are encouraged to make greater use of the minor variation process to remove outdated or unnecessary licence conditions where appropriate. The aim is to reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens without undermining the licensing objectives.

Proportionate regulation

The strategy also promotes a more proportionate approach to licensing, encouraging lighter-touch regulation for events with strong safety records and smaller new events, while continuing to emphasise effective planning, community engagement and evidence-based management of issues such as noise.

What does this mean for operators?

Alongside the licensing proposals, the strategy also commits to developing new business-friendly guidance for festivals and venues in partnership with local authorities and the music sector. The intention is to support growth across the industry while maintaining appropriate safeguards for communities and public safety.

At this stage, however, the strategy sets out the Government’s policy direction rather than introducing immediate legal change. No implementation timetable has yet been confirmed, and further consultation, revised guidance and, in some cases, primary legislation will be required before the proposals take effect.

Operators should therefore continue to comply with the current licensing framework while monitoring future developments as the Government progresses its proposals.

You can read the full policy paper, Turn It Up: Our Plan for Music, on the GOV.UK website.