Accredited official statistics

DCMS Sectors Economic Estimates: Regional Gross Value Added 2022

Published 27 June 2024

1. Introduction

Release date: 27 June 2024

Next release: Spring/Summer 2025

Geographic coverage: United Kingdom, Regions

Time coverage: 2010 to 2022

Responsible analyst: Rachel Moyce

This release provides estimates of the contribution of included DCMS Sectors to the UK economy from 2010 to 2021, and provisionally for 2022, measured by gross value added (GVA), for the UK regions. The results for 2020 and 2021 are affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.  

We use current prices to report current sector estimates and chained volume measures for any comparisons over time.

Estimates for 2022 are provisional and subject to change when the National Accounts are published later in 2024.

DCMS publishes an annual GVA series at the UK level in advance of this regional breakdown, and a monthly GVA series, starting in January 2019 and measured in 2022 prices, which is more timely (two to five months lag, as publication is quarterly) but less accurate than the annual series and can be used as a leading indicator.

The following information is worth noting:

• These figures do not include tourism or civil society as these are defined in a different way. Sectors included in this release are creative industries, cultural sector, gambling, and sport.

2. Headline Findings

2.1 Regional GVA in Included DCMS Sectors (Creative Industries, Cultural, Sport and Gambling Sectors)

Our annual GVA 2022 statistics estimated that GVA from creative industries, culture, gambling and sport was £148.7 billion, making up 6.8% of UK GVA in 2022. This publication shows how that GVA is distributed by region.

London and the South East combined generated the majority of included DCMS sector GVA in 2022. Included DCMS sector GVA fell in most regions between 2019 and 2020, during the pandemic, but increased in 2021 and 2022. 

• The majority of included DCMS sector GVA in the UK (£148.7 billion, 6.8% of UK GVA in 2022) was generated in London and the South East, which contributed 39.6% and 18.1% respectively of included DCMS sector GVA in the UK in 2022.

• There was a similar pattern in UK GVA, where London (23.7%) and the South East (15.3%) were the greatest contributors, however London and the South East generated larger proportions of DCMS sector GVA compared to the UK economy as a whole.

Figure 1 Included DCMS Sector and UK GVA Regional Distribution 2022 (percentage)

• Another way to look at regional GVA is to consider the contribution of included DCMS sectors to regional economies. The largest regional contributions to the local economy by included DCMS sectors were also in London and the South East, where the sectors contributed 11.3% and 8.0% of regional GVA respectively. 

Figure 2. Contribution of Included DCMS Sectors to Regional Economies as a Percentage

The following findings report the real-terms growth. All GVA figures that follow are in chained volume measures and adjusted for inflation.

• Included DCMS sector GVA grew in almost all regions from 2021 to 2022, following larger growth in 2021 following the pandemic. The largest absolute growth was in London and the East, at £5.0bn and £0.8bn respectively. In relative terms, the largest growth in regional GVA in included DCMS sectors was in Scotland (11.8%) and the North East (11.8%).

• Compared to pre-pandemic levels, between 2019 and 2022 included DCMS sector GVA grew by 9.4%. The South West GVA grew the most proportionally over this period, at 22.3%, followed by the East Midlands (19.5%) and the North East (18.7%). There were slight falls in GVA in the East (-0.6%) and Northern Ireland (-0.4%).

The regional distribution and growth varies across the individual sectors, as described in the following sections.

2.2 Sector overlap

Some industries are found within multiple sectors and are likely to drive trends in the same way for both sectors. 

In 2022, for DCMS excluding tourism and civil society:

• 83.9% of the included DCMS Sector GVA is within the creative industries

• 23.2% of the included DCMS Sector GVA is within the cultural sector

• However, 22.5% of DCMS Sector GVA is within both the Creative Industries and the cultural sector. This illustrates that the cultural sector is almost fully contained within the creative industries (but not vice versa) and these overlaps include activities such as performing arts and radio and television broadcasting. 

When calculating the DCMS Sector total, the GVA from industries within the overlap is counted once. Users should be aware that the estimate for ‘All DCMS sectors’ is therefore lower than the sum of the individual sectors.

For more information, Chapter 2 of the technical report visually outlines the overlap between SIC codes in DCMS sectors, but not the value of GVA within these overlaps.

3. Creative Industries

The region with highest creative industries GVA, London, generated the majority of GVA for the creative industries in 2022. The sector also formed a larger proportion of the local economies of this region and of the South East. Drops in creative industries GVA from 2019 to 2020, during the pandemic, and growth prior to and following the pandemic, were driven by London and the South East.

• Total UK GVA by the creative industries in 2022 was £124.6 billion, 5.7% of UK GVA.

• The majority of GVA in the creative industries in 2022 was generated in London (50.8%) followed by the South East (16.2%). For context, 23.7% of overall UK GVA was generated in London and 15.3% in the South East. 

Figure 5: Regional Distribution of GVA in the Creative Industries and the Whole UK Economy in 2022

• Another way to look at regional GVA is to consider the contribution of creative industries to regional economies. The largest regional contributions to the local economy by creative industries were also in London and the South East, where the sector contributed 12.2% and 6.0% of regional GVA respectively. 

Figure 6. Contribution of Creative Industries to Regional Economies as a Percentage

• GVA by the creative industries grew in all regions from 2021 to 2022 (following the pandemic), using GVA adjusted for inflation. The largest growth was seen in the North East (23.8%) and Scotland (9.9%).

• Compared to pre-pandemic levels, between 2019 and 2022 creative industries GVA grew by 12.2%. Creative industries GVA in the North East grew the most proportionally over this period, at 51.7%, followed by the East Midlands at 42.6%. In the West Midlands, creative industries GVA fell by 1.5%.

4. Cultural Sector

The majority of cultural sector GVA was generated in London in 2022. The sector also formed a larger proportion of the regional economy in London than in the other regions. Drops in cultural sector GVA from 2019 to 2020, during the pandemic, and growth prior to and following the pandemic, were driven by changes to the sector’s GVA in London.

• Total UK GVA by the cultural sector in 2022 was £34.6 billion, 1.6% of UK GVA.

• The majority of cultural sector GVA was generated in London (63.5%), followed by the South East (8.5%). For context, 23.7% of overall UK GVA was generated in London and 15.3% in the South East. 

Figure 8: Regional Distribution of GVA in the Cultural Sector and the Whole UK Economy in 2022

• Another way to look at regional GVA is to consider the contribution of the cultural sector to regional economies.The largest regional contribution to the local economy by the cultural sector was in London at 4.2%, followed by Scotland, Wales and the South East, where the sector contributed 1.0%, 1.0% and 0.9% of regional GVA respectively.

Figure 9. Contribution of the Cultural Sector to Regional Economies as a Percentage

The following findings report the real-terms growth. All GVA figures that follow are in chained volume measures and adjusted for inflation.

• GVA by the cultural sector grew in all regions from 2021 to 2022, following the pandemic. In relative terms, the largest changes from 2021 to 2022 were in the West Midlands (23.0%), Northern Ireland (19.3%) and Scotland 18.8%).

• Compared to pre-pandemic levels, between 2019 and 2022 cultural sector GVA grew by 3.0%. The East Midlands GVA grew the most proportionally over this period, at 38.9%,  followed by the South East (31.9%) and Scotland (30.6%). In the North East (-9.5%) and London (-5.8%) GVA fell over this period.

5. Sport Sector

The largest regional contributions to sport sector GVA were from London and the South East, and contributions were more evenly spread across regions than overall included DCMS sector GVA in 2022. The sector contributed to all of the regional economies in similar proportions. The drop in sport sector GVA from 2019 to 2020, during the pandemic, and growth prior to and following the pandemic, were driven by changes to GVA in London, which due to the size of its economy makes up a larger absolute contribution to the sector’s GVA.

• Total UK GVA by the sport sector in 2022 was £18.1 billion, 0.8% of UK GVA.

• GVA in the sport sector in 2022 was more evenly spread across regions than GVA for the UK economy as a whole. The largest contribution to sport sector GVA was from London (19.4%), followed by the South East (18.0%), North West (11.4%), and from the East (8.1%).

Figure 11: Regional Distribution of GVA in the Sport Sector and the Whole UK Economy in 2022

• Another way to look at regional GVA is to consider the contribution of the sport sector to regional economies. The sport sector contribution to the regional economy was similar in every region in 2022. The largest regional contributions to the local economy were the South East, North West and Northern Ireland at 1.0%, 0.9% and 0.9%. 

Figure 12. Contribution of the Sport Sector to Regional Economies as a Percentage

The following findings report the real-terms growth. All GVA figures that follow are in chained volume measures and adjusted for inflation.

• GVA by the sport sector grew in most regions from 2021 to 2022, following the pandemic. In relative terms, the largest increases from 2021 to 2022 were in Northern Ireland (15.8%) and Wales (15.4%), while the East Midlands saw the largest decrease in GVA (-14.3%).

• Compared to pre-pandemic levels, between 2019 and 2022 sport sector GVA fell by 2.4%. While most regions saw falls in GVA, the largest relative increase was in the East Midlands at 26.4%.

6. Gambling Sector

The largest regional contributions to gambling sector GVA in 2022 were the East, London, the South East and the North West, and contributions were more evenly spread across regions than included DCMS sector GVA overall. The sector contributed to all of the regional economies in similar proportions. The drop in gambling sector GVA from 2019 to 2020, during the pandemic, was across all regions, while growth prior to the pandemic was driven by the West Midlands and the East. London and the South East have contributed most to growth following the pandemic, although this was fairly evenly distributed across many of the regions. 

• Total UK GVA by the gambling sector in 2022 was £4.9 billion, 0.2% of UK GVA.

• The region contributing most to gambling sector GVA was the East (15.5%), followed by London (12.2%), the South East (12.0%) and the North West (11.7%). For context, 8.6% of overall UK GVA was generated in the East, 23.7% in London, 15.3% in the South East and 10.0% in the North West. 

Figure 14: Regional Distribution of GVA in the Gambling Sector and the Whole UK Economy in 2022

• Another way to look at regional GVA is to consider the contribution of the sport sector to regional economies. The largest regional contributions to the local economy by the gambling sector were the East at 0.4%, and Northern Ireland at 0.4%, although contributions are similar across the regions.

Figure 15. Contribution of the Gambling Sector to Regional Economies as a Percentage

The following findings report the real-terms growth. All GVA figures that follow are in chained volume measures and adjusted for inflation.

• GVA by the gambling sector grew in most regions from 2021 to 2022, following the pandemic. In relative terms, the largest increase from 2021 to 2022 were in the North East (34.5%), Yorkshire and the Humber (32.0%) and Wales (29.2%), while the largest decrease in GVA was in the West Midlands (-28.3%).

• Compared to pre-pandemic levels, between 2019 and 2022 gambling sector GVA fell by 6.5%. Wales grew the most over this period at 61.7%, followed by the South West (41.7%), Northern Ireland (28.0%) and the North West (26.7%). The largest decreases were in the West Midlands (-32.3%) and Scotland (-27.9%).

7. Further information

GVA is a measure of the increase in the value of the economy due to the production of goods and services. Its relationship to GDP is as follows:

GVA = GDP + Subsidies - Taxes 

GVA is measured either at:

• current basic prices (‘nominal GVA’), which give the best ‘instantaneous’ measure of the value to the economy, but are not adjusted for the effect of inflation.

• chained volume measures (‘real terms GVA’), where the effect of inflation is removed.

The accompanying data tables consist of current prices and chained volume measures for DCMS sectors and subsectors from 2010 to 2022.

We use current prices to report current sector estimates and chained volume measures for any comparisons over time.

The DCMS sectors covered in this report are:

• Creative Industries

• Cultural Sector

• Gambling

• Sport

From April 2024, following changes announced in February 2023, figures for the Digital Sector and Telecoms are published by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

Methodological information on the sector definitions, data sources, derivation of GVA and limitations of the approach can now be found in the accompanying technical report, along with. a summary of alternative economic measures of these sectors that are published elsewhere.

These official statistics were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation in June 2019. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics and should be labelled ‘accredited official statistics’. Accredited official statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.

The responsible statistician for this release is Rachel Moyce. For enquiries on this release, please email [email protected].

For general enquiries contact: 

Department for Culture, Media and Sport
100 Parliament Street
London
SW1A 2BQ

For media enquiries contact: 020 7211 2210.

DCMS statisticians can also be followed on Twitter via @DCMSInsight.