Cost of Living Crisis The UK cost of living crisis is a major concern for us all. That’s why we’ve put together advice on how to get help, and how you can use your MU membership to save money. We can't predict when the cost of living crisis will end, but we're here to help in the meantime. Make the most of your MU membership Recover your unpaid fees We help our members to get what they deserve. Make sure you're paid throughout the cost of living crisis. Read more about Recover your unpaid fees Get royalties from your recordings The MU collects close to £2 million a year for musicians for the secondary and further use of recordings. Check if you are owed royalties. Read more about Get royalties from your recordings Create your professional profile Help others find your services, by updating your musician's profile on our searchable directory. Read more about Create your professional profile Get financial support No one knows how long the cost of living crisis will last. From parental grants, to the Benevolent Fund, you can get help when you're in need. Read more about Get financial support Stay protected with insurance Check what cover and discounts you're entitled to through your MU membership. Read more about Stay protected with insurance Use discounts and special offers Discover what discounts are available to you now and make the most of them. Read more about Use discounts and special offers Guidance and advice Information, Support & Help Resources Resources on government support, and practical advice from organisations and businesses to help you save money, boost your income and more. Read more about Information, Support & Help Resources Get paid fairly Always check what you should be paid for your work. The MU's Rates of Pay provide a trusted source for recommended or agreed minimum rates for all musicians. Read more about Get paid fairly Be smart about your taxes Through the latest cost of living crisis, check our advice on how to make the most out of your taxes and self-assessment. Read more about Be smart about your taxes Find job opportunities Check job adverts on the websites of trusted organisations and companies. It's still possible to find a new role despite the cost-of-living crisis. Read more about Find job opportunities Look for opportunities to fund your music business Discover our list of useful organisations that can help fund your music business. Read more about Look for opportunities to fund your music business Take care of your health and wellbeing Browse the resources aimed at musicians dealing with stress and anxiety. Read more about Take care of your health and wellbeing Recording royalties Over £1.4m distributed in royalties in 2022 The MU licenses performances of non-featured artists on commercial recordings and makes monthly distributions to musicians. If you're aware of any commercial audio performance you took part in as a session player that's being used on TV, film, or in advertising, contact us. Amid the cost of living crisis in the UK, it's crucial to get what you're entitled to. Royalties distributed by the MU Join the MU Join the MU for £1, get six months free Read more about Join the MU for £1, get six months free Reduced membership rate for disabled musicians Read more about Reduced membership rate for disabled musicians Partner rates for EIS, Ivors Academy, NEU, RCO, UCU members Read more about Partner rates for EIS, Ivors Academy, NEU, RCO, UCU members Just £24 per year for student members Read more about Just £24 per year for student members Explore all membership rates Get a membership that suits your budget MU membership is essential to your work as a musician, especially during the cost of living crisis. Explore the different membership rates we offer and make it work within your budget. Explore membership rates Manage your membership payment frequency via monthly or quarterly Direct Debit schedule Explore lower membership rates for students, members from partner organisations, disabled musicians, and new members Use our exclusive member services to support you through the UK cost of living crisis beyond 2022 Topical stories Subsidised Rates Increase for MU/UK Theatre New Subsidised rates have now been agreed for members for the MU/UK theatre agreement, and will be backdated to May 2022. Published: 02 December 2022 Read more about Subsidised Rates Increase for MU/UK Theatre Future of Music Education Hubs Clarified by Arts Council England Long awaited details have been provided of the timeline for a bidding process for new hubs, with funding for the current hubs now safe until August 2024. Published: 24 November 2022 Read more about Future of Music Education Hubs Clarified by Arts Council England Resources for National Stress Awareness Week Work related stress is a trade union issue. For National Stress Awareness Week running 7-11 November we’ve put together a reminder on the resources available to members. Published: 11 November 2022 Read more about Resources for National Stress Awareness Week Music Teaching Holiday Pay Guidance Updated The MU has updated its guidance page on holiday pay for music teachers, particularly when calculating this for atypical work and part-year workers. Published: 14 October 2022 Read more about Music Teaching Holiday Pay Guidance Updated Basic Income Pilot for Musicians, Artists and Creative Arts Workers Launches in Ireland Two thousand artists and creative arts workers started to receive a basic income this September as part of a pilot scheme in Ireland. Published: 26 September 2022 Read more about Basic Income Pilot for Musicians, Artists and Creative Arts Workers Launches in Ireland TUC launches £15 National Minimum Wage Campaign Show your support for a £15 minimum wage with the Trades Union Congress (TUC). Published: 20 September 2022 Read more about TUC launches £15 National Minimum Wage Campaign Read all news Find a Fair Play Venue Bristol Beacon A music charity, renowned venue and music education hub, with 2,124 capacity over four performance spaces. Bristol Read more about Bristol Beacon The Sound Lounge A 120 (mixed seated and standing) capacity venue for roots music, with full backline in Surrey. Surrey Read more about The Sound Lounge Esquires A multifunctional live music venue with a capacity of 280 in the main room, and 180 in the smaller room. Bedford Read more about Esquires The Artful Dodger A small, 60-capacity venue in York for local and national bands to perform intimate, acoustic sets. York Read more about The Artful Dodger Bush Hall Music A 400 capacity venue in Shepherd's Bush hosting a range of live music throughout the week. London Read more about Bush Hall Music The Studio Widnes A 300 capacity community arts venue featuring global music headliners and showcases for original music. Widnes Read more about The Studio Widnes SEALL A rural performing arts promoter which works across different venues on the Isle of Skye. Isle of Skye Read more about SEALL The Met A centre of live music incorporating two performance spaces, a restaurant and a recording studio. Manchester Read more about The Met See all venues #KeepMusicLive Can a UBI keep music live? The idea of a universal basic income has been around for centuries. Now, the MU and many others believe its time has come. Join the conversation See all Campaigns
Recover your unpaid fees We help our members to get what they deserve. Make sure you're paid throughout the cost of living crisis. Read more about Recover your unpaid fees
Get royalties from your recordings The MU collects close to £2 million a year for musicians for the secondary and further use of recordings. Check if you are owed royalties. Read more about Get royalties from your recordings
Create your professional profile Help others find your services, by updating your musician's profile on our searchable directory. Read more about Create your professional profile
Get financial support No one knows how long the cost of living crisis will last. From parental grants, to the Benevolent Fund, you can get help when you're in need. Read more about Get financial support
Stay protected with insurance Check what cover and discounts you're entitled to through your MU membership. Read more about Stay protected with insurance
Use discounts and special offers Discover what discounts are available to you now and make the most of them. Read more about Use discounts and special offers
Information, Support & Help Resources Resources on government support, and practical advice from organisations and businesses to help you save money, boost your income and more. Read more about Information, Support & Help Resources
Get paid fairly Always check what you should be paid for your work. The MU's Rates of Pay provide a trusted source for recommended or agreed minimum rates for all musicians. Read more about Get paid fairly
Be smart about your taxes Through the latest cost of living crisis, check our advice on how to make the most out of your taxes and self-assessment. Read more about Be smart about your taxes
Find job opportunities Check job adverts on the websites of trusted organisations and companies. It's still possible to find a new role despite the cost-of-living crisis. Read more about Find job opportunities
Look for opportunities to fund your music business Discover our list of useful organisations that can help fund your music business. Read more about Look for opportunities to fund your music business
Take care of your health and wellbeing Browse the resources aimed at musicians dealing with stress and anxiety. Read more about Take care of your health and wellbeing
Reduced membership rate for disabled musicians Read more about Reduced membership rate for disabled musicians
Partner rates for EIS, Ivors Academy, NEU, RCO, UCU members Read more about Partner rates for EIS, Ivors Academy, NEU, RCO, UCU members
Subsidised Rates Increase for MU/UK Theatre New Subsidised rates have now been agreed for members for the MU/UK theatre agreement, and will be backdated to May 2022. Published: 02 December 2022 Read more about Subsidised Rates Increase for MU/UK Theatre
Future of Music Education Hubs Clarified by Arts Council England Long awaited details have been provided of the timeline for a bidding process for new hubs, with funding for the current hubs now safe until August 2024. Published: 24 November 2022 Read more about Future of Music Education Hubs Clarified by Arts Council England
Resources for National Stress Awareness Week Work related stress is a trade union issue. For National Stress Awareness Week running 7-11 November we’ve put together a reminder on the resources available to members. Published: 11 November 2022 Read more about Resources for National Stress Awareness Week
Music Teaching Holiday Pay Guidance Updated The MU has updated its guidance page on holiday pay for music teachers, particularly when calculating this for atypical work and part-year workers. Published: 14 October 2022 Read more about Music Teaching Holiday Pay Guidance Updated
Basic Income Pilot for Musicians, Artists and Creative Arts Workers Launches in Ireland Two thousand artists and creative arts workers started to receive a basic income this September as part of a pilot scheme in Ireland. Published: 26 September 2022 Read more about Basic Income Pilot for Musicians, Artists and Creative Arts Workers Launches in Ireland
TUC launches £15 National Minimum Wage Campaign Show your support for a £15 minimum wage with the Trades Union Congress (TUC). Published: 20 September 2022 Read more about TUC launches £15 National Minimum Wage Campaign
Bristol Beacon A music charity, renowned venue and music education hub, with 2,124 capacity over four performance spaces. Bristol Read more about Bristol Beacon
The Sound Lounge A 120 (mixed seated and standing) capacity venue for roots music, with full backline in Surrey. Surrey Read more about The Sound Lounge
Esquires A multifunctional live music venue with a capacity of 280 in the main room, and 180 in the smaller room. Bedford Read more about Esquires
The Artful Dodger A small, 60-capacity venue in York for local and national bands to perform intimate, acoustic sets. York Read more about The Artful Dodger
Bush Hall Music A 400 capacity venue in Shepherd's Bush hosting a range of live music throughout the week. London Read more about Bush Hall Music
The Studio Widnes A 300 capacity community arts venue featuring global music headliners and showcases for original music. Widnes Read more about The Studio Widnes
SEALL A rural performing arts promoter which works across different venues on the Isle of Skye. Isle of Skye Read more about SEALL
The Met A centre of live music incorporating two performance spaces, a restaurant and a recording studio. Manchester Read more about The Met