Consultation outcome

Government response to a consultation on the Public Lending Right rate per loan for the Scheme Year 2023/24

Updated 9 January 2025

Introduction and background

The Public Lending Right (PLR) is a right for authors and other rights holders to receive payments from a central fund in relation to public lending of their books in the UK. For the PLR Scheme year 2023/24 the PLR applied to the lending of books, audiobooks, e-books and e-audiobooks, as well as the remote lending of e-books and e-audiobooks from public library services.

The British Library Board makes an annual recommendation to the Secretary of State for a change to the rate per loan to be paid from the PLR fund to registered authors, illustrators and other contributors to compensate them for the loan of their books from public libraries. This is calculated by dividing the available funding by the estimated number of loans of PLR-registered books. The British Library reaches this estimated figure by collecting actual loans data from a representative sample of public libraries throughout the UK and then ‘grossing up’ using total loan figures for the previous year (in this case, 2022/23) obtained from the ACE Libraries Data Group (English libraries only), the PLR sample, directly from library authorities, and through estimation (using established methodology) where actual figures have been unobtainable.

The consequence of an increase in the estimated number of loans in 2023/24 (resulting from an increase in total loans over 2022/23), is a reduction in the PLR rate per loan. 

Following the recommendation this year from the British Library Board, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) undertook a public consultation to seek the views of key stakeholders and those in the sector with an interest.

The consultation

DCMS ran a four-week public consultation (23 October to 17 November 2024) on the British Library Board’s recommendation to set the rate per loan at 11.76 pence for the PLR Scheme year 2023/24 (a reduction from 13.69 pence per loan in the previous year). A consultation letter was sent directly to fourteen organisations, including groups representing the interests of authors, public libraries and other stakeholders related to the public library sector in the UK, as well as the Devolved Administrations. A copy of the consultation letter was also made available on GOV.UK.

DCMS received responses from ten stakeholder organisations, the three Devolved Administrations and one author registered for PLR.

Fourteen responses were received of which only five specifically indicated a view on the recommended rate - three supported (including two Devolved Administrations), two did not support, with the remaining nine (including one of the Devolved Administrations) did not indicate whether or not they supported the recommendation. 

Of the nine respondents that did not indicate whether they supported the proposed new rate, seven noted or expressed understanding of the proposal. 

The majority (eleven) of those who responded to the consultation welcomed the increase in the number of loans from public libraries - the primary contributing factor for the proposed decrease in the Rate Per Loan.

The majority (eleven) of those who responded to the consultation also took the opportunity to raise other more general points about PLR and support for public libraries. Although such matters fall outside the scope of this consultation, the government’s position in relation to each of these issues is as follows.

Issue - Review and increase the PLR Fund, including provision of additional funds for e-books / e-audiobooks

Summary of responses

Ten responses commented on the size of the fund and advocated for an increase in the central fund, at least in line with inflation and including ringfencing the PLR fund. Responses also commented that extra funds should be provided for the lending of e-books and e-audiobooks to authors and the British Library to assist with administration costs. Responses further suggested that the fund be increased to assist with cost of living / general inflationary pressures on writers and illustrators and to alleviate writer’s hardship and financial instability.

Government response

The Government considers the size of the dedicated PLR central fund is appropriate for the purpose of the fund. 

The British Library administers the PLR Scheme on behalf of the Government. The central fund amount is part of the overall funding for the British Library, which is set for each Spending Review period. The Spending Review process setting budgets for 2025/26 concluded in October 2024, and did not include an uplift to the PLR central fund.

For this Scheme Year the British Library raised the amount of funding available in line with rising general costs such as inflation and an increase in its overall grant-in-aid allocation. The fund for the 2023/24 PLR Scheme Year is £7.04 million. The funding allocated for payments to authors for PLR year 2023-24 is £6,414,066, a 2% increase on last year’s author fund of £6,288,300.

Issue - Decrease in authors’ earnings

Summary of responses

A number of respondents commented that as a result of the reduction in the rate per loan, there would be a reduction in authors’ earnings from the PLR fund. 

Government Response

We expect the reduction in the rate per loan to have a minimal impact on the overall earnings of authors which will closely match previous years. This is because the number of loans of PLR registered books from public libraries over the Scheme year 2023/24 increased, which will largely balance out the reduction in the rate per loan. 

It is estimated that the recommended rate for the PLR Scheme year 2023/24 will provide for payments to 24,275 authors (22,698 during the previous Scheme year), with 206 authors having their payments capped at the maximum of £6,600 (compared with 197 during the previous Scheme year). These figures may be subject to changes when final payments are calculated and made to payees. 

Issue - Sampling points for data collection of the PLR rate per loan

Summary of response

A respondent suggested the collection of the PLR rate per loan data should be based on actual book issue data, instead of the current sampling methodology.

Government Response

On 31 October 2023, changes to the Scheme were brought into force by statutory instrument enabling the British Library to increase the sample size with the option to move to collecting comprehensive loans data from all library authorities in the UK. 

Issue - Extending the PLR Scheme beyond public libraries

Summary of responses

Eight of the responses commented that book loans from other than public libraries (i.e. volunteer/community-run, school/university and other libraries), should be included in the PLR Scheme to better reflect more accurate book lending figures across the UK.

Government response

Under the Public Lending Right Act 1979 the PLR is applicable to loans made from public libraries falling under the statutory control of the relevant local authority. In the majority of cases, such libraries will be both controlled and managed by that authority. Where a library is managed by volunteers or community groups, the local authority may decide that the library remains within its statutory provision and ultimate control - and in such cases PLR would apply to loans from the library.

School libraries do not fall within the scope of public libraries. It is for each school to decide the best way to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils. Many head teachers make sure school libraries, book corners, or librarians are provided. 

The Government does not plan to extend the PLR Scheme beyond the loan of books from public libraries to include schools or other academic institutions.

Issue - PLR funding is below that of comparable EU countries

Summary of responses

Six of the respondents commented that the PLR scheme does not compare favourably with schemes in other EU countries, such as France or Germany, which have larger budgets.

Government response

PLR Schemes vary greatly from one country to another - for example in France publishers and other suppliers make up a portion of the fund - and in some countries different materials are covered. This means that the beneficiaries of the PLR fund in the UK and how it is distributed are not directly comparable, nor is the amount available.

Issue - The government has a duty to protect and maintain library services and ensure a “comprehensive and efficient” service.

Summary of responses

Five responses urged the Government to demonstrate its commitment to supporting a sustainable long-term future for public libraries in England, and to take seriously the statutory duty to superintend and promote the improvement of library services in England, and to ensure that library authorities in England meet their own statutory duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service. This included urging local government to increase the funding for public libraries including additional funds for buying book stock. Responses also comment that sustained cuts to public funding and emergency council cuts over the previous years have resulted in over eight hundred closures in nine years.

Government response

Public libraries policy is a devolved matter in respect of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In England, under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964, library authorities are responsible for providing (and funding) “comprehensive and efficient” local public library services. They are expected to provide public library services (including by making decisions relating to provision of bookstock) while taking into account local needs and available resources.

The Government fully recognises the importance and value of public libraries for all members of the public and is committed to ensuring that libraries continue to thrive.

DCMS ministers take seriously the statutory duty to superintend and promote the improvement of library services in England and to ensure that library authorities in England meet their own statutory duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service.

The majority of the funding provided from central government to local authorities through the Local Government Finance Settlement is un-ringfenced. This is because the government believes that local authorities are independent, democratic bodies who are best placed to understand what is needed to deliver local priorities and are accountable to local people.

Public libraries are funded by local authorities and it is for each local authority to determine its stock management policy, including bookstock funding, ensuring that it maintains adequate stock to deliver its statutory duty. The government does not direct or instruct local authorities on the bookstock budget.

DCMS estimates that around 276 static libraries have permanently closed in England since 2010 and have not been relocated or replaced - this is based upon Arts Council England’s Public Library Basic Dataset 2023.

Issue - Translators to receive full PLR when they are the sole copyright holder

Summary of responses

Three responses requested translators be paid the full amount of the PLR for translations when the underlying work is in the public domain and translators are the sole copyright holder.

Government response

The government does not currently have any plans to vary the PLR Scheme to change the share of the PLR that translators are entitled to in those circumstances, however, DCMS will continue to work with the British Library to consider the potential for future improvements to how the PLR Scheme operates.