The short answer

Published 2026 UK benchmarks put micro-creators (10,000–100,000 followers) at about £350–£1,000 per post and nano-creators (1,000–10,000) at about £100–£350. In our experience, micro-creators approached directly often charge more, up to around £1,500 per post. A first test with 2–5 creators typically needs around £5,000–£10,000 in creator fees, before usage rights, paid amplification, product and management time.

How much are UK brands spending on influencer marketing?

  • UK creator partnership revenue reached £966m in 2025, up 20.1% from £804m in 2024, and is projected to rise 26% to £1.217bn in 2026 (IAB UK and IRM, reported by Marketing Week, September 2026).
  • That growth was more than twice the 9.6% growth in the rest of UK digital ad investment.
  • In Kolsquare's 2026/2027 study, 93% of UK brands and agencies expect to increase influencer spend over the next 12 months, up from 81% the year before.
  • In a 2025 UK study reported by CMOtech UK (December 2025), 28% of brands spent under £75,000 a year, 32% spent £100,000–£499,000, and 14% spent more than £1 million.

What do UK creators charge per post?

Awin's UK benchmark (January 2026), compiled from several published sources, gives these ranges per post:

  • Nano (1,000–10,000 followers): £100–£350
  • Micro (10,000–100,000): £350–£1,000
  • Mid-tier (100,000–500,000): £1,000–£5,000
  • Macro (500,000–1 million): £5,000–£12,000
  • Mega (1 million+): £12,000–£20,000

Treat these as starting points: real rates can be considerably higher. They change with engagement, niche, format, exclusivity and how long you want to use the content. In our experience, creators also tend to charge more when you approach them directly than when you book them through an influencer platform.

Which creators do UK brands use?

In the 2025 UK study reported by CMOtech UK, 93% of brands work with micro-influencers and 60% with nano-influencers. Instagram is used by 92% of brands, TikTok by 80% and YouTube by 59%. In Kolsquare's 2026/2027 study, 55% of UK respondents named short-form video as the biggest opportunity.

What else goes in the budget besides creator fees?

  • Usage rights: the right to use creator content in your ads or on your own channels, for a set period. Agree this in the contract before filming.
  • Paid amplification: boosting the best posts as ads. Respondents to the IAB UK study suggested amplification spend could be two to three times creator partnership revenue.
  • Product and shipping: for every creator, including the ones who decline.
  • Management time: sourcing, briefing, contracts, approvals, payments and reporting, whether in-house or through an agency.

How to set a first influencer budget: a worked example

A first campaign should test whether creators can move your numbers before you scale. Experiment with 2–5 creators to start with.

  • 2–5 creators: around £5,000–£10,000 in creator fees
  • Usage rights for the best pieces: agree per creator
  • Paid amplification for the top performers: set a fixed test amount
  • Product, shipping and management time: add on top

Decide what success looks like before you brief anyone. In Kolsquare's 2026/2027 study, only 38% of UK brands and agencies use metrics such as ROI to measure influencer marketing, so a clear measure already puts you ahead.

What are the UK rules for paid creator content?

The ASA and CMA guidance says paid, gifted and affiliate content must be clearly labelled as advertising. Labels such as "Ad" or "#ad" should appear upfront, not buried in hashtags or behind "see more". The brand, the creator and any agency are all responsible. Under the DMCC Act 2024, the CMA can fine businesses up to 10% of global turnover for serious consumer-law breaches.

Put the disclosure rules in every brief, so every creator knows what to label and where.

Frequently asked questions

How much should a small brand spend on influencer marketing?

Start with a fixed test of 2–5 creators, at around £5,000–£10,000 in creator fees, plus amplification and product. Scale only what beats your target.

How much does a micro-influencer charge in the UK?

About £350–£1,000 per post, according to Awin's January 2026 UK benchmark. In our experience, creators approached directly often charge up to around £1,500. Rates vary with engagement, niche, format and usage rights.

Is gifting cheaper than paying creators?

Gifting costs less upfront, but many creators no longer accept gifts alone unless the product is worth enough to justify the time and effort of making a Reel. Gifted posts still need an ad label in the UK if there is a commercial relationship. Paid partnerships give you more control over the brief, timing and usage rights.

Should we run influencer marketing in-house or through an agency?

In Kolsquare's 2026/2027 study, 30% of UK brands fully outsource influencer marketing, compared with 23% across Europe. In-house works once you have a repeatable process. Outsourcing helps when you run creators in several markets at once.

Planning creators across the UK and Europe? See how we run creator and influencer programmes.