2026 Is Shaping Up to Be the Biggest Year for UK Entertainment — Here’s Where the Money Goes

Even with the wider UK economy struggling to get back on its feet, there are specific segments that are overperforming nevertheless – and it is little surprise why, as entertainment and joy are becoming an ever-increasing element for what we are looking to spend money on. 

The numbers are genuinely staggering: the ERA total numbers show the industry has grown by 7.1 per cent in 2025, which is four times as much as the country’s GDP for the year – or, if you want to take a view of the long term, it is up by a whopping 120 per cent over a decade. No wonder it is showtime everywhere we look these days. 

Here is where the money is going, with the stats and the data backing it. 

Streaming and Video Take Out The Big Chunk 

We all remember the days fondly when Netflix was the one big streaming platform that was so much more convenient to use than all the annoying cable packages that were a simultaneous burden on the household budget – well, now the many streaming services competing for your money and attention are causing a significant impact on household finances. 

The segmentation continues, with HBO Max UK about to become the latest of the bunch. 

The average UK household’s streaming spend reached £175 a year as we headed into 2026, which adds up to more than the BBC licence fee. SVOD viewership and general sector growth are also up, and there is every reason to expect this to continue climbing later in the year. 

Online Entertainment and Music are also on the Rise 

Streaming and video are not the only online activities that continue to grow in the UK, as other online options for traditional pastimes continue to muscle out offline activities. Much like how going to a concert has now become a premium experience that often isn’tabout the music at all – because platforms like Spotify continue to scoop up an ever-growing majority of listening time, with streaming breaking the £2bn threshold. The remote online entertainment segment also continues to grow, with an ever-larger selection of games like jackpot slots offering new ways to engage with classic games, further fueling the fire. 

That said, there is also a retro element to this, as vinyl and cassette sales are also up, with cassette sales nearly doubling from where they were a year ago. Clearly, the old world still has a little bit of something-something to offer when it comes to entertainment sales – but the ultimate irony is that it is often even pricier than the modern online alternatives. 

How much of the growth of the entertainment industry is down to price hikes or consumption rise is a fascinating question, but seeing how much of a standout it has been in the UK economy in terms of GDP growth, we should all hope that it continues to maintain this fascinating trajectory as we get deeper into the year.