20% fall recorded in UK Live Comedy Sector Survey

Britain’s live comedy sector is facing a financial crisis, with performers’ incomes falling sharply while costs continue to rise, according to a survey published today.

The average annual turnover for individual comedians has dropped to £21,143, down from £26,778 just a year ago, according to those who responded to the UK Live Comedy Sector Survey.

That figure represents a fall of 21 per cent and comes before expenses, such as travelling to gigs, are taken into consideration and compares unfavourably to the UK median salary of just over £39,000.

However the methodology means that the figures are not necessarily like-for-like comparisons over the year. A total of 272 people working in comedy volunteered to complete a questionnaire this year - but this would be a different cohort than chose to answer the questions 12 months earlier.  

Of the comedians who completed the Live Comedy Association survey,  nearly three-quarters said they required second jobs to make ends meet.

And many performers report earning less per gig now than they did two decades ago. ‘I earned more per gig in 2004 than now,’ one comedian told researchers, whilst another said: ‘I am on Universal Credit and don’t see how I will ever be off it.

Other comments included: ‘I barely break even on a good year and subsidise the shows with acting work, menial jobs. It shouldn’t be like that. There should be arts council funding available for solo comedy shows. They’re a part of our culture.’

While another comic said: ‘The fees paid by some promoters are frankly pathetic. It’s fine to not pay (or do bucket splits) for certain kinds of gig, e.g. open mics, new material nights, etc. But I feel really insulted by how many promoters think it’s OK to invite acts from far away to do middles on pro bills where they’ve charged £15+ per ticket, and make it seem like we should be grateful to receive a measly £10. I suck it up because I enjoy the gigs and learn a lot from gigging with pros. And I know we’re on a kind of de facto "apprenticeship" in this game. But it still feels morally wrong.’

The financial squeeze is hitting the entire industry. Comedy organisations reported an average annual turnover of £527,296, down dramatically from £962,213 the previous year – though again the samples will be different.

The study also claims comedians are also performing fewer shows,  with those responding this year saying they averaging 2.54 per week compared to 3.2 shows weekly for those who responded last year. Meanwhile, 17 per cent now earn nothing from comedy at all, up from 7 per cent last year.

Everything has become more expensive, respondents reported, with rising costs for fuel, accommodation, travel, insurance, marketing and venue hire. Yet performer fees have largely stagnated. ‘All costs have increased but ticket prices haven’t changed,’ one participant noted, whilst another complained: ‘Fees need to increase across the board. Smaller promoters are making more money than the comics as a standard now.’

The economic pressures are particularly acute for those outside London. The capital dominates the sector, with 25 per cent  of single-location comedy organisations based there, while it represents about 13 per cent of the UK population.

‘I think more resources should be put into the North of England,’ said one respondent who moved to Manchester because ‘it’s one of the only places with a thriving comedy scene in the North.’

Another comic complained that performers outside the capital ‘never get London live shows or TV offered because they are not seen’.

Despite the financial challenges, the survey reveals a resilient sector making significant social contributions. Some 76 per cent of comedy organisations help raise money for charity annually, whilst 78 per cent of individual comedians do charity work. Nearly half of organisations (43%) are involved in community projects in schools and other settings, and a similar proportion offer volunteering opportunities.

The sector also provides crucial support for emerging talent, with 69 per cent of organisations offering performance opportunities for new comedians, and 31 per cent running workshops or masterclasses.

However, concerns about inequality persist. The survey found that 86 per cent of respondents identified as white British or white (slightly more than the 82 per cent of the wider UK population), and 61 per cent as male. Nearly a quarter (23 per cent) identified as having a disability or impairment, roughly in line with the UK population..

One Jewish comedian reported having ‘to move venues during a festival due to uncomfortable topics/views being expressed,’ while a female performer noted: ‘It feels like most of this industry is run by men, women getting paid less, work harder for spots.’

Venues are also struggling with ticket sales. Only 2 per cent  of comedy organisations reported always selling out, down from previous years, while 5 per cent now sell less than a quarter of their tickets. Most venues (37 per cent) sell between 51-70 per cent of tickets on average.

The comedy sector received a boost in April 2025 when representatives gave evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee. This led to a letter from the committee chair to the Arts Minister calling for live comedy to be recognised as a distinct art form and requesting government intervention.

The letter suggested an independent assessment of the sector’s size and distribution, increased engagement by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, a grassroots levy on large venues, and the appointment of a freelance champion for creative industries.

The Live Comedy Association, established in 2021, continues to lobby for recognition and support. The non-profit organisation is launching  Live Comedy Day on April 1 in partnership with BBC Radio 4 and has established the Stand Up And Give Fund, which has raised more than £10,000 to support grassroots comedy.

‘Please create a comedy union similar to Equity because the fees comics get paid have not gone up with inflation since the 90s!’  one exasperated respondent pleaded.

The survey was conducted in partnership with the Centre for Comedy Studies Research and British Comedy Guide and released on the day of the LCA’s annual general meeting at the Leicester Comedy Festival. Of those who responded, 63 per cent were comedians, the rest working in other roles in the sector. Read the full findings here.

Jessica Toomey co-chair of the LCA, said: ‘We are delighted to be able to publish this second annual report showing the size and impact of the grassroots live comedy sector.  It gives us, and our partners, reliable independent data about the work which goes on across the UK every week of the year, which feeds into the arena stars, and big name comedians of the future.  The report gives us more information to continue working with governments to provide evidence about the support our sector needs.’

Dr Sharon Lockyer, co-author of the report and director of the Centre for Comedy Studies Research, added: ‘The findings reveal the important economic, social and cultural contributions made by UK live comedy but also highlight, again, the issues and challenges that the sector faces around precarity, wage stagnation, geographical inequities and inequities related to protected characteristics. We are looking forward to using the report to support the sustainability and development of the UK live comedy sector.’

A number of venues have today pledged to help raise money for the Stand Up And Give Fund. They are Komedia, The Stand, The Glee Club, The Bill Murray, The Frog & Bucket, Leicester Square Theatre, The Museum of Comedy and Soho Theatre.

Published: 4 Feb 2026