On 28 July the Government announced the launch of a Government-backed £500 million scheme for UK film and TV productions struggling to get insurance for Covid-related costs. The aim of the Film and TV Production Restart Scheme is to help productions across the country that have been halted or delayed by an inability to obtain insurance for Covid-19 related risks to get back up and running, by giving productions the confidence they need that they will be supported if future losses are incurred due to Covid-19.

The formal commencement of the scheme is conditional upon the European Commission providing State Aid approval. The Scheme Rules are therefore subject to change. The draft documents are therefore not legally binding, and subsequent versions will be uploaded to the Government website if details change. Pending this formal commencement the Scheme is now open for applications, which must be made via the appointed Third Party Administrator, Marsh Commercial. Future claims made under the Scheme can be backdated to 28 July 2020.

The registration deadline for the Scheme is 31 December 2020, and claims can be submitted up until 30 November 2021 for losses incurred up until 30 June 2021.

The Government says that it will be periodically reviewing the scheme to make sure it achieves its objectives to support film and television productions to restart following the impacts of Covid-19. To read the draft Rules and Explanatory Notes in full, click here.