Research Into Authors' Earnings - Published 8 March 2007

LONDON, April 2 /PRNewswire/ -- ALCS commissioned the Centre for Intellectual Property Policy and Management (CIPPM), Bournemouth University to conduct research into authors' earnings in the UK compared with those of German authors. The results are based on a survey of 25,000 authors in the two countries.

This research revealed that:

- Writers operate in a 'winner takes all' market: the top 10% earns 50% of the total income.

- The typical earnings of a professional writer are 33% below the national average wage.

- The typical professional writer earns just GBP4000 a year.

- 60% of UK writers need a second job to survive

    
    ALCS LATEST DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS TO AUTHORS (March 2007)

    FACTS BEHIND THE FIGURES

    Total ALCS distribution: GBP13,117,087

    Total writers paid: 43,388

    
    INDIVIDUAL WRITER PAYMENTS

    Highest Payment   GBP51,000
                  
    Lowest Payment    GBP10
 
    Average           GBP302.32
 

    
    EARNINGS BY GENRE

    
    Earning Situation     Radio       TV       Children's &  ELT     Maths &
    by      Comedy        Series      Series   Young Adult   BOOKS   Science
    genre                                                            Books
 
    Highest
    Payment    
    GBP     44,735        5404        17,717   41,858        18048   8087

                  
    Average
    Payment    
    GBP     1006          1625        743      605           485     231

                  
 
    Earning   Fiction Children's  Radio Poems
    by                Radio
    genre               
 
    Highest
    Payment 
    GBP       8905    133         289

                 
    Average
    Payment 
    GBP       193     30          18

                

There are 4885 UK based script writers of whom 3307 (or 67%) will receive payment in March 2007 and 3177 UK based fiction writers of whom 2876 (90%) will receive payment.

    
    HIGHEST EARNING LITERARY ESTATES

    1. Roald Dahl   3. Robert Ludlam

    2. John Aylett  4. James Joyce

    MOST PHOTOCOPIED BOOKS (according to CLA sources)

    1. Numeracy Extras

    2. Global Business Information Technology: An Integrated Systems Approach

    3. Spotlight Science 7

    4. Spotlight Science 9

    MOST PHOTOCOPIED NOVEL (according to CLA sources)

    The Color Purple by Alice Walker

    HIGHEST EARNING TV & RADIO SERIES

    1. EASTENDERS

    2. TWO PINTS OF LAGER AND A PACKET OF CRISPS

    3. DOCTORS

    4. CASUALTY

    5. FIMBLES

    6. HOLLYOAKS

    7. POBOL Y CWM

    8. TWEENIES

    9. HOOBS, THE

    10. HOLBY CITY

    11. DOCTOR WHO

    12. THE ARCHERS (highest earning radio series)

    PAYMENTS BY AGE & GENDER

    - 71% distributed to men
    - 29% distributed to women
    - 49% of the payees are between 40 - 60 years of age
    - Less than 1% is aged under 30 years.
    - The youngest payee is 15 years old

    There are 58 writer members aged 20 - 30 years.

    This is the only age range in which women tend to out-earn men.

    Between the ages of 30 & 50 payees are twice as likely to be men, and
    five times more likely for those in their 70s.

    
    Age Range years Men : women ratio Age range years Men : women ratio
    20-30           1.1:1             70 - 80         3.3:1
    30 - 40         1.7:1             80 - 90         3.4:1
    40 - 50         1.7:1             90 - 100        3.2:1
    50 - 60         2.0:1             100 - 110       2.2:1
    60 - 70         2.6:1


    TOP 10 EARNING UK POSTCODES

    1. SW South West London   6. WC London

    2. OX Oxford              7. BN Brighton

    3. N1 North London        8. W1 Central London

    4. NW North West London   9. BS Bristol

    5. CB Cambridge           10. SE South East London

    Where do writers live? REGIONAL VARIATIONS

    
    Region          % of payees % of payments Regional average
 
                                              GBP
 
    Greater London  25.5        26.4          349.80

    South West      14.8        13.9          318.10

    South East      13.6        12.0          297.40

    East of England 10.4        11.3          364.40

    North West       8.7        10.7          418.80

    Yorkshire        5.5         5.9          362.50

    East Midlands    5.0         5.2          350.20

    Scotland         6.5         4.9          253.10

    Wales            3.2         3.1          302.90

    West Midlands    3.5         3.1          302.90

    North East       2.5         2.8          382.8

    N. Ireland       0.7         0.4          207.50



    - 25% of UK payees live in Greater London
    - 6% of payees live in Scotland
    - The North West has the highest average payment outside of London.

Editors Notes

1. ALCS - CONTACT INFORMATION ALCS, Marlborough Court, 14 - 18 Holborn, London EC1N 2LE. Tel:+44-(0)20-7395-0600; email alcs@alcs.co.uk. Website: www.alcs.co.uk

2. ALCS RESEARCH: See www.alcs.co.uk got to News & Events & highlight What are Words Worth?

SOURCE Authors' Licensing & Collecting Society