Services and benefits
Services and benefits available to BECTU members. These are in addition to the union's collective negotiation of pay, conditions, safety and contracts, along with personal advice and individual representation of members with employers.
| Copyright | |
| Copyright Consultant | Information for individual members about copyright and moral rights issues. Contact: BECTU Head Office |
| Collecting societies | BECTU has special arrangements with collecting societies who collect and distribute monies to members for secondary uses of work. Applies to directors (via Directors UK) and to designers, animators and visual artists (via DACS). Contact: BECTU Head Office |
| Script Registration Service | Provides an independent, dated registration of members' works which could be useful evidence in discussions or disputes on rights. Contact: Script Registration Service home page |
| Death benefit | |
| Death benefit | The next of kin of members with at least five years' continuous service, and who are members at the time at the time of their passing, are entitled to claim a death benefit of £350 from BECTU. Contact: BECTU Head Office |
| Discounts and special arrangements | |
| British Film Institute | BECTU members have automatic access to discounted membership of the BFI (British Film Institute) and NFT (National Film Theatre). This provides a wide range of benefits, including discounts on NFT tickets, on the annual BFI Handbook and on subscriptions to Sight and Sound. BECTU holds 6 BFI library cards for the use of BECTU members. Contact: BECTU Head Office |
| Car hire | National Car Rental offers members an exclusive opportunity to join its Affinity Leisure Programme, which can give up to 20% off car hire in over 80 countries worldwide, as well as in the UK. The scheme can only be used during leisure time (although freelances can use them to drive to and from work), and includes the luxury range of cars from its Guy Salmon fleet. Contact: website National Car Rental or Guy Salmon; telephone 0871 384 1069 using the following references: A001513 (UK car hire), A001514V (UK van hire), 8580772 (international car hire), A001513G (Guy Salmon hire). NB: The Affinity discount only applies to telephone bookings; discount codes will not be accepted online. |
| Gas and electricity | BECTU is affiliated to Union Energy - the TUC company established to provide union members with cheaper gas and electricity. Savings of up to 20% have been achieved on energy bills (depending on location and usage) Contact: website Union Energy or telephone 0800 027 9000 |
| Hearing healthcare | Hearing healthcare discounts with Harley Street Hearing. Their audiologists offer advice and support on a range of hearing issues including hearing conservation. They also provide a hearing therapy service for those living with tinnitus. More information. |
| Holiday Club | The BECTU Leisuretime Holiday Club, operated in conjunction with Stewart Travel Ltd, offers discounts on holidays, flights, ferries and cruises, including both domestic and worldwide destinations. Members can get discounts on holidays from almost all tour operators' brochures. Contact: website Leisuretime or telephone 0845 130 5399. |
| Press Passes | Members who regularly have to identify themselves (eg when working in public places) can apply via BECTU for a Metropolitan Police Press Pass. These are valid for 2 years and are renewable. Contact: BECTU Head Office |
| Theatre tickets | Various discounts are available on production of BECTU membership card. Check with individual regional theatres for offers - London based SOLT theatres do not give discounts. |
| Financial services | |
| Audited accounts and tax returns | A discounted fee is offered by Hard Dowdy, Chartered Accountants, to BECTU members. The entertainment specialists will prepare annual accounts and a tax return to assist members to fulfil their statutory obligations. Contact: 020 7436 2171 to arrange a free initial consultation or for more information Hard Dowdy |
| Benevolent Fund | BECTU operates its own Benevolent Fund, which provides the possibility of grants to members in financial difficulty. Grants are kept to moderate levels and all applications are treated in strict confidence and given sympathetic consideration. Contact: BECTU Head Office |
| Credit card | The BECTU MasterCard is accepted worldwide with no annual fee. Operated by the Halifax Bank of Scotland, with TUC endorsement. Contact: website BECTU MasterCard or telephone 0800 454 235 |
| Insurance services | |
| £5M public liability cover | BECTU members working freelance or on a casual basis can obtain £5million public liability insurance cover. The top up fee for cover up to April 2009 is just £23. Public liability insurance covers members against claims for injury or damage to people or property arising from work. As well as individuals the cover extends to one-person service companies where the member is the sole director and there are no employees. The cover is world-wide and is provided by specialist insurance brokers Aon Limited. More information |
| Combined Benefit Services | Combined Benefit Services provides a range of healthcare insurance products, including income protection plans, critical illness protection, personal accident and hospitalisation plans. Combined Benefit Services is part of the Aon Corporation. Contact: telephone 0800 169 7700 |
| Home and contents insurance (Aon) | Service provided by Aon Limited with affordable rates and comprehensive cover. Contact: telephone 0845 601 2222 |
| Insurance for small business | Aon Limited's Entertainment and Media Scheme is a policy offering additional cover for small business needs. Members can chose from insurance policies covering equipment and tools, employers' liability (compulsory if members employ other people), public and product liability, and buildings. Service provided by Aon Limited. Contact: website Aon entertainment and media or telephone 0845 070 0387 |
| Motor insurance | Aon Limited arrange a motor insurance policy with BECTU members in mind. Many members have in the past found difficulty in obtaining cover, because of insurers' attitudes to the entertainment sector. This policy is seen as a solution at reasonable rates to that problem. Contact: telephone 0845 601 2222 |
| Professional indemnity insurance | BECTU offers access to professional indemnity insurance which protects against claims that allege professional negligence or incompetence. Service provided by Aon Limited. Contact: telephone 0845 070 0387 for a quotation. |
| Travel insurance | Annual cover includes worldwide and winters sports cover as standard. Contact: wesbite Aon or telephone 0845 601 2222 for more information. |
| Job-finding services | |
| Broadcast Freelancer | TV jobs, commissioning news, training and career advice for UK TV and film freelancers. BECTU members qualify for a special discounted subscription rate - £25 a quarter by Direct Debit (£8.33 a month). Contact: website Broadcast Freelancer |
| Crewbus | BECTU's own online directory for freelance members in film and television. Members can apply for listing on the site. Employers can search for members using a variety of criteria. Contact: website Crewbus |
| Early Bird | Free periodic listing for freelance members of upcoming productions, especially covering independent television production and feature films. It is distributed on request either by email or hard copy. Contact: What is Early Bird? [143k pdf] |
| Production Base | BECTU freelance members are entitled to 25% discount for the charge for this online CV database and diary service, which aims to match freelances to jobs, especially in the television sector. Contact: website Production Base |
| Regional freelance directories | The union publishes a number of printed directories on a region-by-region basis. Freelance members are entitled to a free listing in directories which achieve a wide circulation in the industry and are a source of potential crewing information for productions. Contact: BECTU Head Office |
| Legal services | |
| 24 hour legal helpline | 24 hour/365 day legal helpline staffed by BECTU's lawyers. Offers free initial legal advice on all non-employment legal matters such as property, divorce and debt. The service includes detailed telephone conversation, with further research and a call-back if necessary. Contact: telephone 0800 587 1278 |
| Contract advice | BECTU offers advice and contract vetting which is particularly suitable for freelance and casual workers. If one of our officials cannot provide assistance your query may be referred to Thompsons for advice. Contact: BECTU Head Office |
| Conveyancing | Low-cost, fixed-fee conveyancing for BECTU members and their families provided by Thompsons. Contact: telephone 0800 587 1278 |
| Copyright legal claims | BECTU can provide advice and, subject to an assessment on prospects, free legal representation on copyright claims. Contact: BECTU Head Office |
| Criminal law | BECTU can offer access to Thompsons National Criminal Law Unit for members and their families. This provides expert legal advice and assistance, where appropriate, on all criminal law matters whether at work or away from work. This aspect of the legal service is often available on a legal aid basis. If legal aid is not available, the service is charged at rates equivalent to legal aid rates. Contact: BECTU Head Office |
| Employment matters | Comprehensive service on all legal matters arising from employment including breach of contract, discrimination, unfair dismissal, equal pay, working time, monies owed, and redundancy. Advice and, where appropriate, full legal proceedings in the Tribunals and the Courts. Contact: BECTU Head Office |
| Free legal advice and assistance | BECTU members have access to the union's free legal service. It encompasses legal advice and, where appropriate, full proceedings on personal injury cases (at or away from work) and on work related problems. The service is provided by Thompsons, one of the largest personal injury and employment rights law firms in the UK. Contact: BECTU Head Office |
| Personal injuries | BECTU members have cover for any accidents whether at or away from work; for members' families it covers any accident away from work. The union's lawyers will assess possible legal cases and, wherever there is a reasonable prospect, pursue proceedings for compensation. This is a free service - unlike 'no win, no fee' arrangements, no legal fees are charged to members. The service also includes injuries sustained prior to joining BECTU, and accidents abroad as long as it is possible to sue in the UK. Contact: telephone 0800 587 1278 |
| Wills | The free will-making service involves filling in a questionnaire so that a will can be drawn up by BECTU's lawyers at no cost to members. Contact: telephone 0800 587 1278 |
| Pensions | |
| BECTU Stakeholder Pension | BECTU's own customised Stakeholder Pension provided by Norwich Union and monitored independently by BECTU and its financial advisers. Stakeholder pensions were introduced in 2001 as a new type of private pension subject to strict criteria by the Government. More details. Contact: email bectu@berkeleyburke.com or telephone 0845 634 2010 |
| Pensions advice | Specialist professional advice on collective pension issues affecting groups of members. Individual access to a full actuarial assessment of individual pension offers is available at competitive rates. As part of the union's free legal service, members can obtain expert advice and where appropriate legal assistance on cases concerning mis-selling of pensions. Contact: BECTU Head Office |
| Tax and National Insurance | |
| Freelance Tax Guide | BECTU's guide has particular emphasis on issues of tax status ie Schedule D and PAYE. It includes the list of occupations accepted by the Inland Revenue as Schedule D. Contact: BECTU Head Office |
| Tax advice | BECTU has long and detailed experience on freelance tax issues. The union cannot act as accountants but have a track record of discussions and negotiation with the Inland Revenue on Schedule D and National Insurance status. Contact: BECTU Head Office |
| Tax consultant | Members have access free of charge, where appropriate, to the union's tax consultant on detailed and technical taxation issues, including tax status, allowances, working abroad and VAT. Contact: BECTU Head Office |
Please note the following concerning the above:
- The services and benefits shown are applicable to BECTU members.
- This is a summary and full details of each service can be obtained from the contact information shown.
- There are some services and products, particularly financial, that are only available to UK residents and/or those 18 years or over, and some of these may not be available in all areas of the UK.
- All telephone numbers shown are UK internal numbers - if ringing from outside the UK insert the appropriate international code.
- Services and benefits are subject to change at the sole discretion of BECTU in accordance with decisions of BECTU's National Executive Committee and/or the BECTU Rulebook.
While every care has been taken in the preparation of the above, BECTU cannot accept liability for mistakes or any arising consequences.
Last updated 10 October 2008