UK Government Has Spent More Than Half a Million Pounds on Influencer Partnerships Since 2024
New figures show over five hundred thousand pounds allocated to social media influencers to promote public campaigns as part of a strategic communications shift
Since the start of 2024, the United Kingdom government has spent in excess of half a million pounds employing social media influencers to support a range of official public information campaigns, reflecting a marked shift in communications strategy towards reaching younger and more digitally engaged audiences.
The spending, disclosed in response to freedom of information requests, shows that government departments have hired a total of 215 influencers across platforms such as TikTok and Instagram to disseminate messages on policy areas including education, welfare, recruitment and public services, with activity increasing significantly in 2025 compared with the previous year.
This rise in influencer engagement coincides with changes to the traditional Downing Street press briefing system, where routine lobby briefings have been reduced and new forums involving digital content creators have been introduced.
The Department for Education has been the largest spender, allocating approximately £350,000 to influencers since 2024 and working with 53 creators in 2025 alone.
Other departments using paid influencer collaborations include the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Defence.
The Department for Work and Pensions, which had not engaged influencers in 2024, spent around £120,000 in 2025 on eight influencers to promote information on policies and services aimed at supporting vulnerable households.
Additional influencer work by the Department for Business and Trade involved 17 creators, with a total spend of nearly £40,000.
Government spokespeople have framed the use of influencers as a pragmatic adaptation to changing media consumption habits, noting that younger demographics increasingly access information through social platforms rather than traditional media channels.
Ministers see partnerships with high-reach creators as a way to enhance public engagement on key issues.
While some commentators have raised questions about transparency and media access, proponents of the approach emphasise its potential to communicate complex policy matters to constituencies that might otherwise remain disengaged.
The figures reveal an upward trajectory in influencer partnerships, with markedly more engagements and higher spending in 2025 compared with the previous year, signalling the government’s sustained commitment to modernising its public communications toolkit.
The spending, disclosed in response to freedom of information requests, shows that government departments have hired a total of 215 influencers across platforms such as TikTok and Instagram to disseminate messages on policy areas including education, welfare, recruitment and public services, with activity increasing significantly in 2025 compared with the previous year.
This rise in influencer engagement coincides with changes to the traditional Downing Street press briefing system, where routine lobby briefings have been reduced and new forums involving digital content creators have been introduced.
The Department for Education has been the largest spender, allocating approximately £350,000 to influencers since 2024 and working with 53 creators in 2025 alone.
Other departments using paid influencer collaborations include the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Defence.
The Department for Work and Pensions, which had not engaged influencers in 2024, spent around £120,000 in 2025 on eight influencers to promote information on policies and services aimed at supporting vulnerable households.
Additional influencer work by the Department for Business and Trade involved 17 creators, with a total spend of nearly £40,000.
Government spokespeople have framed the use of influencers as a pragmatic adaptation to changing media consumption habits, noting that younger demographics increasingly access information through social platforms rather than traditional media channels.
Ministers see partnerships with high-reach creators as a way to enhance public engagement on key issues.
While some commentators have raised questions about transparency and media access, proponents of the approach emphasise its potential to communicate complex policy matters to constituencies that might otherwise remain disengaged.
The figures reveal an upward trajectory in influencer partnerships, with markedly more engagements and higher spending in 2025 compared with the previous year, signalling the government’s sustained commitment to modernising its public communications toolkit.
