Accredited official statistics

DCMS Sectors Economic Estimates: Regional Gross Value Added 2023

Published 3 July 2025

1. Introduction

Release date: 3 July 2025

Next release: Spring/Summer 2026

Geographic coverage: United Kingdom, Regions

Time coverage: 2010 to 2023

Responsible analyst: Rachel Moyce

This release provides estimates of the contribution of included DCMS sectors to the UK economy from 2010 to 2022, and provisionally for 2023, measured by gross value added (GVA), for the UK regions.

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

Estimates for 2023 are provisional and subject to change when the National Accounts are published later in 2025 and other underlying data is updated.

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

DCMS publishes an annual GVA series at the UK level in advance of this regional breakdown which does include tourism and civil society. We also publish a monthly GVA series, starting in January 2019, which is more timely but less accurate than the annual series and can be used as a leading indicator.

These estimates incorporate revisions to our previous estimates. These include revisions following annual revisions to the underlying data as part of the ONS Blue Book 2024, particularly affecting the years 2019 to 2022. As reported in our annual GVA release, these had the effect of lowering the growth rate of DCMS sectors over this period, and we see lower estimates for growth rates across all regions, except Northern Ireland where the revised growth rate is higher.

Further corrections have been made to the time series of regional GVA estimates for included DCMS  sectors overall, due to a processing error. This does not affect any of the sector or subsector estimates. . Following the correction of the error, included DCMS sector GVA overall is now estimated to be more concentrated in London, and therefore slightly less concentrated in each of the other regions, than previously estimated. For example, 45.3% of DCMS sector GVA was produced in London in 2022 (the estimate before both correction and revision was 39.6%).

2. Regional GVA in Included DCMS Sectors (creative industries, cultural, sport and gambling sectors)

Our annual GVA 2023 statistics estimated that GVA from creative industries, culture, gambling, and sport was £150.2 billion, making up 6.3% of UK GVA in 2023 (£220.3 billion, 9.3% including tourism and civil society, which aren’t included in this regional release due to data availability). 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 2023. 

• The majority of included DCMS sector GVA in the UK (£150.2 billion, 6.3% of UK GVA in 2023) was generated in London and the South East, which contributed 46.3% and 16.0% respectively of included DCMS sector GVA in the UK in 2023.
• There was a similar pattern in overall UK GVA, where London (24.4%) and the South East (15.0%) were the greatest contributors, however London and the South East generated larger proportions of included DCMS sector GVA compared to the UK economy as a whole.

Figure 1 Included DCMS sectors and UK GVA Regional Distribution 2023 (percentage)

• Another way to look at regional GVA is to consider the contribution of included DCMS sectors to regional economies. Included DCMS sectors contributed most to the regional economy in London and the South East, where the sectors contributed 12.0% and 6.8% respectively to the regional economy. 

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 fell in all regions between 2022 and 2023, after mainly increasing in 2021 and 2022 following the COVID-19 pandemic. 

• Included DCMS sector GVA fell in all regions from 2022 to 2023, following growth in all regions in 2021 following the pandemic, and growth in most regions in 2022. The largest absolute falls between 2022 and 2023 were in the South East, North West and the East, at £1.3bn, £0.5bn and £0.5bn respectively. In relative terms, the largest falls in regional GVA in included DCMS sectors were in the East (-5.6%), the South East (-5.2%) and the West Midlands (-5.1%).
• Compared to pre-pandemic levels, included DCMS sector GVA was about the same in 2019 and 2023 overall, but trends vary by region. The East Midlands GVA grew the most relatively over this period, at 12.2% whereas the largest relative fall in GVA was the East at -16.2%.

Figure 3. Index of regional growth in included DCMS sectors, 2010 to 2023 2010 = 100

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

2.1 Sector overlap

The DCMS sectors covered in this report are:

• creative industries
• cultural sector
• sport
• gambling

The data tables also include estimates for the audio visual, computer games and arts and antiques market.

Tourism and civil society are not included in this publication as they are defined in a different way, and data is not available at a regional level.

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

In 2023, for DCMS excluding tourism and civil society:

• 82.5% of the included DCMS Sector GVA is within the creative industries
• 23.3% of the included DCMS Sector GVA is within the cultural sector
• However, 22.6% 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 around half of GVA for the creative industries in 2023, meaning this sector is much more concentrated in London than the UK economy as a whole. The sector also formed a larger proportion of the local economy of London than the other regions. From 2022 to 2023, creative industries GVA fell in all UK regions.

• Total UK GVA by the creative industries in 2023 was £124.0 billion, 5.2% of UK GVA.
• Around half of GVA in the creative industries in 2023 was generated in London (51.7%) followed by the South East (16.1%). For context, 24.4% of overall UK GVA was generated in London and 15.0% in the South East. This means that the creative industries are more concentrated in London than the UK economy as a whole.

Figure 4: Regional Distribution of GVA in the Creative Industries and the Whole UK Economy in 2023

• Another way to look at regional GVA is to consider the contribution of the creative industries to regional economies. The largest contributions to the local economy by the creative industries were also in London and the South East, where the sector contributed 11.1% and 5.6% to the regional economy respectively. 

Figure 5. Contribution of Creative Industries 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 creative industries fell in all regions from 2022 to 2023, using GVA adjusted for inflation. The largest relative falls were seen in the North East (-9.8%), East (-6.6%) and South East (-6.5).
• Compared to pre-pandemic levels, between 2019 and 2023 creative industries GVA grew by 1.4%. Creative industries GVA in the East Midlands and the North East grew the most relatively over this period, at 12.4% and 12.0% respectively. The largest relative fall was in the East, at -9.2%.

Figure 6. Index of regional growth in the Creative Industries, 2010 to 2023 2010 = 100

4. Cultural Sector

The majority of cultural sector GVA was generated in London in 2023. The sector also formed a larger proportion of the regional economy in London than in the other regions. From 2022 to 2023 cultural sector GVA fell in all regions except the West Midlands.

• Total UK GVA by the cultural sector in 2023 was £35.0 billion, 1.5% of UK GVA.
• The majority of cultural sector GVA was generated in London (63.1%), followed by the South East (9.2%). For context, 24.4% of overall UK GVA was generated in London and 15.0% in the South East. This means that the cultural sector is more concentrated in London than the UK economy as a whole.

Figure 7: Regional Distribution of GVA in the Cultural Sector and the Whole UK Economy in 2023

• Another way to look at regional GVA is to consider the contribution of the cultural sector to regional economies.The largest contribution to the local economy by the cultural sector was in London at 3.8%, followed by the South East and Scotland, both at 0.9%, and the South West at 0.8%.

Figure 8. 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 fell in most regions from 2022 to 2023. In relative terms, the largest falls from 2022 to 2023 were in Scotland (-8.4%), South East (-4.7%), South West (-4.2%) and the East (-4.2%). The only region with an increase in cultural sector GVA from 2022 to 2023 was the West Midlands, at 0.6% growth.
• Compared to pre-pandemic levels, between 2019 and 2023 cultural sector GVA fell by 4.0%. This fall was driven by London, where GVA fell by 12.2%, followed by the West Midlands (-7.9%). The South East GVA grew the most relatively over this period, at 31.5%, followed by the East Midlands (30.2%) and South West (25.5%) .

Figure 9. Index of regional growth in the Cultural Sector, 2010 to 2023 2010 = 100

5. Sport Sector

The largest regional contributions to sport sector GVA were from London and the South East, but contributions were more evenly spread across regions than overall included DCMS sector GVA in 2023. The sector contributed to all of the regional economies in similar proportions. From 2022 to 2023, sport sector GVA increased in the majority of regions.

• Total UK GVA by the sport sector in 2023 was £20.0 billion, 0.8% of UK GVA.
• GVA in the sport sector in 2023 was more evenly spread across regions than GVA for the DCMS included sectors as a whole. The largest contribution to sport sector GVA was from London (20.9%), followed by the South East (17.5%) and the North West (11.1%). Sport sector GVA is less concentrated in London than the UK overall (24.4%).

Figure 10: Regional Distribution of GVA in the Sport Sector and the Whole UK Economy in 2023

• 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 2023. The largest contributions to the local economy were the South East and East Midlands, both at 1.0%. 

Figure 11. 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 2022 to 2023. In relative terms, the largest increases from 2022 to 2023 were in the North East (7.5%) and East Midlands (6.5%), followed by hte South West at 4.5%. The largest absolute change was in London (4.0%), due to the size of the London economy.
• Compared to pre-pandemic levels, between 2019 and 2023 sport sector GVA fell by 1.8%. The regions driving this fall were the East and the North West, which also had the largest relative falls, at -20.6% and -11.2% respectively. While most regions saw falls in GVA, the largest relative increase was in the East Midlands at 39.1%.

Figure 12. Index of regional growth in the Sport Sector, 2010 to 2020 2010 = 100

6. Gambling Sector

The largest regional contributions to gambling sector GVA in 2023 were London, Scotland and the North West, and contributions were more evenly spread across regions than included DCMS sector GVA overall. While most regions experienced a fall or minimal growth between 2019 and 2023, and gambling GVA overall has decreased considerably over this time, gambling GVA in London increased by almost half. 

• Total UK GVA by the gambling sector in 2023 was £5.2 billion, 0.2% of UK GVA.
• The regions contributing most to gambling sector GVA were London (26.4%), Scotland (11.3%) and the North West (11.0%). For context, 24.4% of overall UK GVA was generated in London, 7.7% in Scotland and 10.3% in the North West.

Revisions to the underlying data have changed the regional distribution of gambling sector GVA. Gambling sector GVA was previously estimated to be highest in the East but following revisions, it is estimated to be highest in London since 2021.

Figure 13: Regional Distribution of GVA in the Gambling Sector and the Whole UK Economy in 2023

• Another way to look at regional GVA is to consider the contribution of the gambling sector to regional economies. The largest contributions to the local economy by the gambling sector were the North East at 0.4%, and the West Midlands and Scotland, both at 0.3%, although contributions are similar across the regions.

Figure 14. 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 fell in most regions from 2022 to 2023. Only London (2.5%) and Northern Ireland (1.6%) grew from 2022 to 2023. The largest relative regional falls in gambling GVA were in the West Midlands (-15.0%) and the South West (-11.6%).
• Compared to pre-pandemic levels, between 2019 and 2023 gambling sector GVA fell by 20.8%. GVA in the East fell the most relatively over this period, at -55.6%, followed by the West Midlands (-44.6%). Gambling GVA rose in the North East (0.6%), North West (1.0%) and London (48.2%).

Figure 15. Index of regional growth in the Gambling Sector, 2010 to 2023 2010 = 100

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, and provisionally for 2023.

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

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 evidence@dcms.gov.uk.

For general enquiries contact:

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

Email: enquiries@dcms.gov.uk

For media enquiries contact: 020 8080 3054.

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