NCVO 'Don't Stop the Music' Campaign

NCVO is campaigning against the Government's decision to make charities and other not-for-profits pay for a licence to PPL (Phonographic Performance Limited) when they play recorded music in their own premises. To date, charitable organisations have been exempt from these charges and NCVO believes this should continue.

Since the Intellectual Property Office consulted on this issue last year, NCVO has been concerned at the disproportionate impact that the proposed changes will have on a significant number of charities. The new licensing system is estimated to cost the voluntary and community sector upwards of £20 million.

The campaign has secured backing up and down country and has received far reaching press coverage. An Early Day Motion was put forward by Tom Levitt MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Community and Voluntary sector, in November and has so far received 100 signatures.

The changes were due to come into force on 1 April 2010, but because of the general election the statutory instrument necessary to implement primary legislation was not laid down. Therefore at present, charities playing recorded music are not required to pay a licence to PPL.

The new charges will affect a wide range of organisations including:

• an event in a building owned by a charity with music being played in the background, such as a youth centre holding a disco;
• a carers' association playing music to entertain children; and
• a charity shop where the volunteers are listening to music in the back room.

To get involved with the campaign you can:

• Sign our Number 10 petition
• Join our ever growing Facebook group
• Join our discussion on how the new music licensing rules could impact VCOs
• Write to your MP
• Get in touch with NCVO - email dontstopthemusic@ncvo-vol.org.uk or call Elizabeth Chamberlain on 020 7520 2559

Find out more

• Third Sector online, 11 March 2010 Give us the right figure on removal of music exemption, NCVO tells the Government
• Third Sector online, 02 February 2010 Reverse decision to charge charities for playing music, Lord Mandelson is told
• Telegraph story, 02 January 2010 £81 music fee will hit charity shops
• Telegraph story, 21 December 2009 Charities face £20m 'tax' for playing music
• Read our press release 'Music licensing scheme will bring death to the charity tea dance and disco'
• See the Early Day Motion tabled by Tom Levitt MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group
• Read the briefing we have sent to Members of Parliament (PDF 31 KB)
• Read NCVO's briefing on the new music licensing rules (PDF 110KB)
• Read NCVO's response to the IPO consultation (PDF 13KB)
• Read Government's response to the consultation on music licensing (PDF 452KB)
• Listen to NCVO's Head of Policy, Belinda Pratten, talk about the issue on Radio 4 You and Yours (23 minutes in).