Education / Runner
Written by real crew
2 Min Read
If you’re starting out in film or TV, knowing the standard floor runner rate is crucial.
Without a clear benchmark:
You might accept jobs that pay far less than they should.
You won’t know whether a rate is genuinely low-budget or exploitative.
Negotiating pay can feel intimidating or awkward.
These rates aren’t rigid rules, but they are widely recognised across the UK film and TV industry.
This guide covers:
Floor runner day rates for drama, film, and commercials
Factors that affect how much runners are paid
How runners are paid
Floor Runner rates in the UK
These rates are based on BECTU 2024 and APA 2025 guidance. They are not legally binding, but are widely used as an industry standard. All rates below are based on a 10+1 working day (10 hours working + 1 hour lunch).
TV DRAMA
BAND 1
<£1M p/h
BAND 2
£1M - £3M p/h
BAND 3
£3M - £7M p/h
BAND 4
£7M+ p/h
10+1
£137
£137
£143
£150
MOTION PICTURE (FILMS)
£0 - £10M
£10M - £30M
£30M+
10+1
£137
£143
£150
COMMERCIAL (APA)
MIN BASIC
DAY RATE
N/A
MAX BASIC
DAY RATE
£238
Location - Major cities like London and Manchester usually pay higher rates because of the scale of productions and cost of living. On the flip side, regional productions may pay slightly less if hiring local crew.
Production budget - Low-budget productions, like short films, sometimes offer flat rates for all crew roles, often around £100 per day. These jobs are usually considered learning opportunities rather than standard paid work.
How you'll get paid
In the UK, floor runners are typically paid via PAYE or invoicing, depending on the length of production.
PAYE (Pay As You Earn):
Common on TV dramas and feature films
Tax and National Insurance are deducted automatically
Paid directly by production
Simple and reliable for long-form work
Invoicing:
More common on commercials, music videos, or short-form work
You send an invoice to production
You manage your own tax as self-employed
Invoices are one of those boring-but-essential parts of working in the film industry. To keep things simple, we’ve put together a straightforward invoice template you can use straight away.
Click the link below, then go to File → Make a copy. That will create your own editable version of the Google Doc, which you can customise with your details and reuse for future jobs.
