High-End TV Expenditure Credit

For expert advice on applying for High-End TV Expenditure Credit and for assistance with your application please get in touch.

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High-end television productions that qualify as British can access the UK’s Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC). The credit is worth 34% of qualifying UK core production expenditure, calculated on the lower of 80% of total core costs or the actual UK spend incurred.

Accessing High-End Television Relief / AVEC

To qualify for High-End Television Relief or AVEC for a television programme, the project must meet all of the following:

  1. British certification / co-production
    The programme must qualify as British by either:

    • Passing the High-End Television Cultural Test, or
    • Qualifying under an applicable official co-production treaty.
  2. Broadcast intention
    The programme must be intended for broadcast to the general public — including via internet streaming.
  3. Genre requirement
    The programme must be a drama, comedy or documentary (excluded: news, current affairs, game/quiz shows, panel shows, live events, adverts, training content, etc.).
  4. UK core expenditure minimum
    At least 10% of core expenditure (pre-production, principal photography, post-production/VFX) must be incurred in the UK.
  5. Minimum average core cost
    The average core cost must be at least £1 million per broadcast hour (i.e. per slot-length basis).
  6. Minimum slot length
    Under AVEC, each episode/slot must be more than 20 minutes in duration. (Under the older HETV relief, the requirement was >30 minutes, but this is being updated under AVEC)
  7. Production company eligibility
    The TV Production Company (TPC) must be within the UK corporation tax net and be responsible for production, decision-making and delivery of the programme.

If you have any questions or need advice on High End TV Relief / AVEC please do get in touch

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Get in touch to discuss your production and find out how Alliotts Media can support you.

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    David Gibbs | Alliotts

    David
    Gibbs

    Partner

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    David is an International Corporate Tax specialist. He has over 30 years’ experience in providing commercially focused tax advice and support to a wide range of clients, from technology start-ups to large inward investing corporates.

    A qualified Chartered Accountant, David went on to qualify as a Chartered Tax Adviser and prior to joining Alliotts as a partner in 2014 he held the position of tax partner in Grant Thornton and subsequently in PwC.

    David focuses on providing strategic tax advice to entrepreneurs and privately owned businesses. By investing time in understanding clients and their businesses he is able to provide advice which is practical and appropriate to clients’ circumstances in order to keep taxes to a sensible minimum. He advises on a wide range of taxes including transaction planning, UK outbound and inbound structuring, corporate tax, technology tax reliefs, investor and shareholder planning, capital gains tax and LLPs. David advises both UK and overseas business owners on international tax planning.

    David also specialises in advising individuals and businesses in the media sector on UK film tax credits, video games tax reliefs and other creative sector tax incentives. He also advises on EIS and SEIS.

     

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    Samuel Ampah | Alliotts

    Samuel
    Ampah

    Senior Manager, Media Team

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    Samuel is a key member of Alliotts Media team, working with production companies and helping produce their accounts. He regularly presents at third party webinars and workshops on a range of areas of interest to media businesses, ranging from tax incentives, accounting and growing a business.

    Samuel is a Trustee of Mama Youth Project and is a member of the Production Guild’s Diversity and Inclusion Group

    As a member of our accounts team Samuel also works with a wide range of UK based and international clients across a variety of sectors. Samuel’s primary role involves delivering accounting, management reporting, VAT and cash flow reporting services to clients. By working closely with Alliotts partners the information Sam provides helps clients ensure that they remain compliant with their filing deadlines and have the financial data they need to make key decisions.

    Testimonials

    “I’ve been lucky enough to have Sam over to the NFTS for 2 years running to speak on a Marketing, Distribution, Sales & Exhibition Masters. He is great at talking through the financing side of things – particularly given the lack of experience that most of our students have in the industry. He is able to break things down and explain them in a much clearer and straightforward manner. He is extremely personable and is always a hit with the students.”

    Poonam Sahota, National film and television school


    “Samuel Ampah and the team at Alliotts could not be more helpful. From the earliest stages of closing, Sam has been readily available to any and all advisors on the show to explain and reassure on the criteria and complexities of the UK film tax credit specific to the needs of the production, going so far as to create his own spreadsheets to verify the producer’s calculations and responding. to every related query by return. As the legislation and HMRC guidelines evolve, it’s reassuring to know Alliotts is in front of developments adding the weight and wisdom of an experienced team of advisors. That Ian Gibbon is a genuine cinephile and Sam enthusiastic about the project’s potential impact only enhances the engagement. Thank you.”

    Mary McGuckian, pembridge pictures.


    “Samuel is a safe pair of hands, with a robust and thorough understanding of all areas of accounting and finance relating to the film sector. He’s also a great speaker, with a knack for putting clients at ease, and explaining (sometimes complex) financial strategies and considerations in a way that is both concise and accessible.”

    Film City Futures