Touring allowance rises to £300 a week

The minimum touring allowance rate will rise to £300 after a deal between performers' union Equity and UK Theatre was accepted by Equity members.

Under the terms of the agreement minimum touring rates will rise by 13.2% from £265 to £300, with the minimum subsistence rate also rising by 13.4% from £172 to £195. 

Both rates will be backdated to 4 April 2024. Meanwhile, minimum rates of pay under the agreement will rise by 4%.

In a ballot on the proposals, held on 30 June, 98.5% of members taking part voted to accept the deal.

Equity General Secretary, Paul Fleming: “It is testament to the importance of this win for Equity members that it has been backed by over 98% of those voting on a record turnout for ballots on this agreement. 

"The solid result represents not only a rise of over 4% for Equity members, and the substantial rise of touring allowance to £300 – both backdated to April – but a normalisation of the industrial relations process after Covid.

"Many were anxious that terms would return to pre-Covid norms, and our deputies and staff have delivered that even in this uncertain economic climate.

"But those pre-Covid terms are clearly not what our members need in the face of the cost of living crisis or what our deputies, activists and staff aspire to for the sector."