New pension rights for freelances

Freelance members engaged by some independent production companies can now claim pension contributions from employers.

Film and television freelances working for independent production companies can claim an employer pension contribution if their contract is governed by the PACT/BECTU Freelance Production Agreement.

The new arrangement involves members of the Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (PACT) contributing 4% of the recommended minimum rate into freelances' pension funds.

Freelances who want to receive the contribution must be in the BECTU Stakeholder Pension.

Members who want to set up a stakeholder pension in the BECTU scheme should call Berkeley Burke on a dedicated helpline number: 0845 634 2010.

Once this is set up freelances can then claim 4% for each job where the contract is governed by the PACT/BECTU Agreement.

Pension contribution claim forms can be downloaded [234k pdf] and need to be submitted to each employer for each engagement.

If members don't know whether their employer is a PACT member, or whether the employer is working to the Agreement, they should ask the Producer or Production Manager.

BECTU is interested to hear about PACT companies which work to the Agreement and pay the pension contribution. Equally the union would like to know about PACT companies that don't use the Agreement, and don't pay the contribution.

Either way email the union's London Production Division at BECTU head office.