Policy

Secondary Ticketing

UK Music is holding the Government to account on its pledge to crack down on ticket touts and stop music fans being ripped off or priced out of seeing their favourite artists.

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UK Music is calling on the Government to fulfil its manifesto commitment to end exploitative ticket touting. Proposed legislation was included in the King’s Speech, but only as a draft Bill which means the process of it becoming law will take much longer and is far more uncertain.  

 

What’s The Issue? 

In 2024, the UK music industry was worth £8 billion to the UK economy, delivered £4.8 billion in exports and employed 220,000 people. However, this vital contribution will be undermined if unscrupulous ticket touts are allowed to continue ripping off music fans by buying up tickets and reselling them at exorbitant prices. According to YouGov research commissioned by O2, online ticket touts are costing UK music fans more than £145 million a year. 

The Government committed in its manifesto to introduce “new consumer protections on ticket resales”. UK Music responded to a Government consultation on its plans by supporting plans for a price cap on ticket resales. 

While a draft bill was included in the King’s Speech this is no guarantee the protections for music fans from ticket touts will come into law. Meanwhile, the Government has announced immediate plans to ban resale at major sporting events. 

 

What can be done to fix it? 

UK Music’ would like to the following included in the legislation:   

  • A resale price cap which prohibits someone from reselling a ticket for more than the original ticket cost. 
  • Service fee limits to ensure the price cap cannot be undermined by inflated fees or hidden charges placed on consumers. 
  • Volume limits to make in unlawful to buy more tickets for an event than one individual is permitted to buy on the primary market.  

UK Music’s preference is a cap where the seller can recover the full amount they paid for the original ticket, including fees, without making a profit; while the resale platform can add up to 10% to cover operational costs but preventing inflated service fees. For example: 

  • You buy a ticket for £50 (£40 plus £10 fees).  
  • You list it on a resale platform for £50 and recoup your costs.  
  • The resale platform would then charge no more than £55 to a new buyer, with the 10% uplift allowing the platform to cover their costs.  

 

What’s happening to change it? 

A draft bill involves a lengthy pre-legislative scrutiny process that could delay action until at least the 2027/28 session. UK Music are urging MPs to explore the legislative programme and identify alternative opportunities to ensure primary legislation is passed in this year’s Parliamentary session. 

UK Music maintain that there must be: 

  • No further delay – Every day that passes before new legislation comes into effect, will see more fans ripped off by touts, and value being extracted from the UK music industry into the pockets of overseas ticket resellers.  
  • No dilution – These proposals must not be watered down during scrutiny, particularly as the bill is only in draft form and so subject to further consultation before being introduced as a full bill and starting its parliamentary stages. 

 

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