London, UK — November 2025: Entertainment and talent management agency Matchstick has announced two groundbreaking initiatives set to redefine welfare and financial fairness in the creator and entertainment industries.
For the first time in the UK, self-employed creators, celebrities and influencers will be able to access paid parental leave, thanks to Matchstick’s new Maternity & Paternity Policy — a pioneering move in a sector long criticised for its lack of safety nets. The agency, which currently represents talent from a wide range of industries, including Ollie Locke, Anna Whitehouse, Binky Felstead, Chessie King and Desreen Ahanonu, is hoping to lead the charge and inspire other agencies to follow its progressive steps.
Matchstick Parental Policy: A New Standard for Self-Employed Talent
Launching this November, Matchstick’s Paid Parental Policy offers up to £5,000 per month for two months (£10,000 total) to Matchstick-signed talent who are expecting a child — either personally or through a partner.
The initiative recognises a gap that has existed for too long: while creators and influencers shape modern culture, they’ve had no access to even the most basic protections afforded to traditional employees. When creators take parental leave, their income typically stops completely, at the very moment life becomes most demanding.
This first-of-its-kind policy is:
Fully funded by Matchstick, not insurance or external sponsorship
Rooted in a People Before Profit ethos — care as a baseline, not a benefit
Designed to let creators step back without losing stability, relevance or dignity
Anna Whitehouse, author, content creator and mother, comments ”As a freelancer in this industry, there’s no governing body, there is no security, there is no protection. You are on your own; as a mother, you are essentially left holding the baby whilst holding up your job, and this Matchstick policy of two months’ paid maternity leave is unheard of as a freelancer in this industry and really is the difference between surviving and thriving. This is a personal plea to other agencies, other management, that you follow suit. Protect women on maternity leave.”
Ollie Locke, Made in Chelsea celebrity and father, says ”As a self-employed person in this industry, I don’t have the luxury of a pay-packet every month. Matchstick’s policies help enable financial stability for its talent and their new parental policies will further help new parents in the industry I love, really thrive in the infancy of parenthood – an initiative I wish existed when we had Apollo and Cosima.”
Max Parker, Founder of Matchstick, states, “The social media and entertainment industries thrive on stories of ‘real life’ yet have provided no real-life support. We want to change that. Our creators should be able to focus on their families, not their finances. By offering genuine, paid leave, we hope to lead a cultural shift. If other agencies follow suit, it won’t be competition — it’ll be progress.”
Early & Advance Payment Schemes: Fixing the Industry’s Cash Flow Problem
Matchstick has also introduced Early & Advance Payment Schemes — tackling one of the creator economy’s most persistent challenges: slow and unpredictable payments.
In an industry where 45-, 60- or even 90-day terms have become standard, creators can now choose when they get paid.
Early Payments: Talent can request payment as soon as a campaign concludes — before invoicing.
Advance Payments: Talent can access payment the day a contract is signed — before delivering the work.
Since launching in April 2024, the scheme has paid out over £1,000,000 — a UK industry first for creator management.
These systems provide creators with instant financial flexibility, reducing stress and allowing them to stay focused on creativity rather than cash flow.
Max Parker, Founder of Matchstick, comments, “Creators aren’t salaried staff — they’re small businesses navigating an unstable payment landscape. Our infrastructure ensures they’re paid fairly, fast, and transparently. It’s time the industry caught up.”
