FAQS
Do I have to pay to join BECS?
No. There are no upfront costs or membership fees payable. The Board of BECS and the Supervisory Committee determine the administration fees charged by BECS to cover BECS’ administration costs. These are deducted from the monies collected for distribution.
Why have I not received the BBC payment I used to get from BECS?
Up until February 2017, BECS used to administer distributions on behalf of Equity. From that point onward, the Union are dealing with these payments directly. If you used to receive payments from us for any of the below, you can expect to receive these directly from Equity:
– BBC Cable and Satellite re-transmission (BBC SCR)
– ITV Cable and Satellite re-transmission (ITV SCR)
– BBC Radio 4 Extra
– Film and Cast Album royalties
– New Media Payments (BBC, ITV, C4, BSKYB)
The above payments were made to performers regardless of their membership with BECS. As we now only deal with statutory Performers’ Rights payments, you will only receive payments from us if you are registered as a member.
I received money from BECS. Why does this come from BECS and not via my agent as usual?
We collect payments for our members’ productions shown overseas which are outside the terms of your original contract. These payments are statutory in nature and therefore eligible to be sent directly to the performer if you have instructed us to do so.
– BBC Cable and Satellite re-transmission (BBC SCR)
– ITV Cable and Satellite re-transmission (ITV SCR)
– BBC Radio 4 Extra
– Film and Cast Album royalties
– New Media Payments (BBC, ITV, C4, BSKYB)
The above payments were made to performers regardless of their membership with BECS. As we now only deal with statutory Performers’ Rights payments, you will only receive payments from us if you are registered as a member.
How often does BECS send out payments?
BECS has one main distribution which takes place around the middle of the year. Sometimes we receive some payments a little later than usual which enables us to do a second distribution towards the end of the year.
What is the difference between BECS and PPL?
PPL deals with sound recordings while BECS deals with film and television broadcasts. If you have ever performed on a record or CD that is played in the UK or overseas, you should register with PPL. Likewise, if you have ever appeared in a TV or film production that could be shown on mainstream European television channels, you should register with BECS. You can join BECS and PPL if you have performed on both sound and audio-visual recordings.
I’ve received a payment for £125 but class 1 NI was not deducted. Why?
BECS does not make Class 1 NI deductions as the payments we make are not related to a salary.
I am a member of Equity. Do I automatically become a member of BECS if so?
No. The two organisations are distinct and separate. You will need to apply directly to join as a member of BECS. Conversely, you do not need to be a member of Equity to become a member of BECS.
How did you know I was owed money?
We negotiate with other collecting societies to secure a share of their income for our members’ work broadcast in their countries. Most collecting societies send a list of programmes that were broadcast in their respective countries. We sift through these lists to identify works that our members have worked in. We also work through new productions to obtain cast information for each title and enter this onto our database. We often consult production companies or refer to DVDs to ensure payments reach all those who appear on the credits.
Does BECS charge a commission?
BECS does not operate a commission structure on Performers’ Rights payments. However, as authorised by our members, BECS deducts up to 10% of monies collected from affiliated Collecting Societies in order to cover the costs of management and administration. This deduction is made on gross receipts prior to monies being allocated out to our 30,000+ members.
The total deductions are fully disclosed and reported annually to our membership in the Transparency Report and at the AGM.
Can I join more than one Collecting Society?
The simple answer is yes as long as your mandate to each society is limited to either different rights or different regions. If you are a British performer, resident in the UK with much of your work in English productions, then you would be better off with BECS collecting for you with a worldwide mandate (as do the vast majority of our members) as you will benefit from better exchange rates achieved on bulk collections. Payments will be made directly into your bank account by BACS so you do not incur hefty wire transfer fees that you would otherwise be charged should you be receiving monies from outside the UK.
I now live abroad. Can you still collect for me? Can you pay into my overseas account?
Yes. Membership is not exclusive to British residents. We have several hundred members who live overseas. We wire their payments in the currency of their choice to the bank of their choice. To make wire transfers more economical, we have a minimum threshold of £50 for these.
You sent me money for work done a few years ago when I was with an old agent. Do I have to pay the agency commission on it?
If BECS sends a payment to you directly it is normally from a non-contractual source of revenue. Payment of commission on this to an old or current agent will be determined by your contract/relationship with that agent.
Do I have to declare my payment if I am receiving benefits?
Yes. We believe that BECS income is treated as a subsection of self-employed income. Therefore, someone in receipt of benefits may suffer a loss of those benefits as a result of receiving a payment from BECS.
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