Research

We carry out a lot of work to help us understand the environment authors work in today and the challenges they face. We commission independent research into authors’ earnings and the attitudes of consumers towards the online environment and we produce research that contributes to wider authors’ rights debates.

Some of our recent research

2024

We commissioned Datasky to estimate the potential value of a UK scheme to remunerate freelance journalists for online secondary uses of their work, using existing international comparitors as a guide.

We commissioned CREATe at Glasgow University to conduct research into pay, contracts and working conditions for freelance journalists. Read the full report here.

2022

We commissioned CREATe at Glasgow University to conduct independent research into authors’ earnings in the UK. This updates our previous research published in 2007, 2014 and 2018.  You can read the 2022 key findings here. Read the full report here.

2019

We funded the Royal Society of Literature’s research which asked UK writers about the support they receive, the challenges they face, and what they need to work. You can read the full report here.

2018

We commissioned CREATe at Glasgow University to conduct independent research into authors’ earnings in the UK. This updates our previous research published in 2007 and 2014.  You can read the 2018 key findings here. Read the full report here.

We funded the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain’s independent report into gender representation among writers in the film and TV industries to find out more about gender inequality in these sectors. You can read the full report here.

 2015

Further findings from the report we commissioned into authors’ earnings and the writing life.

 2014

We commissioned Queen Mary, University of London, to conduct independent research into authors’ earnings in the UK today. The aim was to get a true picture of authors’ earnings and update our previous research, published in 2007. You can read the 2014 research here. Take a look at the full report here.

We also commissioned Loughborough University to carry out a survey of 1,250 freelance newspaper and magazine journalists to find out more about their income, working practices and rights over articles. Download the research. Read the full report here.