We’ve built a RateChecker to help our members negotiate better pay - and to help recruiters set rates that are fair.
Over 53,500 rates have now been added since the Ratechecker's launch in 2020. (You can read about it in Broadcast here.)
The power of the RateChecker is that rather than being a static or aspirant rate card - it is based on actual, paid rates, and tracks how those may change over time.
The RateChecker info is completely anonymous: when adding what you were paid on a job, your identity will never be revealed to anyone.
But the aim is for the data to empower you – and others – to search industry averages (as well as the top rates, and lowest ones) for job roles by different platforms, channels and time slots, so you can negotiate or set a fair rate on your next project.
Visit and complete the RateChecker here
(NB If you are a freelancer working as crew, don't include equipment rental when adding your rates to recent credits.)
By adding information on current and past productions anonymously into RateChecker, freelancers will feed into a database of pay levels that will enable them to search for accurate industry rates.
This is not a case of ‘naming and shaming’ production companies over their fees: we do not reveal the name of the company you may have worked for and publish only the channel and time slot.
We also recognise that larger companies will be able to operate with greater economies of scale. However, the aim is to establish the going rates for certain job types in specific genres and across all time slots, channels and platform at any one moment in time.
The tool is simple to use and completely confidential. Lists of shows and rates will be visible only to the individual account holder.
"This is a much-needed innovation in an industry which desperately needs more transparency in how it pays its freelancers." Chris Monk
“Brilliant...feature! Use this and your Bectu rate card to prevent rates from being undercut!” Nicholas de Taranto`
“Knowledge is power and it's so important to be more open with rates so that individuals are not consistently underpaid for the value they bring. Transparency is crucial to fairness and closing the gender pay gap and this will...be a great tool to empower freelancers.” Anna Wallace
“This is so smart...At the intersection of so many issues is money. And nobody wants to talk about it. Know your worth!” Campbell Glennie
“This is game changing for TV freelancers.” Allanah Langstaff
“It's about time something like this has been implemented. Freelancers need to speak more freely about their rates and production companies need to stop paying people less than their worths.” Raylean Murray
“This is huge. A real game changer.” Martha Stern
“In an industry where you never know how much someone else doing the same job is being paid, this tool will prove vital when going into contract negotiations. Bravo.” Ruairi Sparks
