UK Government Deploys Over One Million Pounds on Influencer Marketing Strategy Since 2024

The UK government has allocated in excess of £1 million to social media influencer campaigns since 2024, representing a strategic shift in public sector communications spending. Recent freedom of information disclosures reveal that 215 influencers have been engaged across multiple departments, with activity accelerating from 89 contracts in 2024 to 126 in 2025.

The Department for Education emerged as the largest spender, committing £350,000 since 2024 whilst doubling its influencer roster from 26 to 53 personalities. This expenditure pattern suggests a deliberate reallocation of marketing budgets towards digital platforms, particularly TikTok, as traditional media channels experience declining viewership among younger demographics.

The Department for Work and Pensions demonstrated the most pronounced year-on-year growth, deploying £120,023 in 2025 after recording zero influencer expenditure in the previous year. The department characterised these campaigns as public information initiatives targeting vulnerable households, though specific performance metrics remain undisclosed.

The Department for Business and Trade allocated £39,700 during 2025, engaging 17 influencers across both years. Notable participants included personal finance commentators Rotimi Merriman-Johnson, operating as Mr MoneyJar, alongside Bella Roberts, Krish Kara, Noah Brierley, Beth Fuller and Jasmine Shum. The Ministry of Justice, Home Office and Ministry of Defence similarly participated in this communications strategy, with the former deploying 12 influencers to support workforce recruitment campaigns.

This spending increase coincides with substantial modifications to Downing Street’s traditional press lobby system. Tim Allan, the executive director of communications, confirmed that daily lobby briefings would be reduced by half in the coming year. The afternoon session, which permitted unlimited journalistic questioning on any subject, will be discontinued entirely. Morning briefings will occasionally be substituted with press conferences accessible to specialist correspondents and social media content creators.

The Lobby Journalists’ Association has challenged these reforms, asserting they constrain access and diminish governmental scrutiny. Critics contend the influencer model facilitates circumvention of rigorous policy examination in favour of less technically challenging interviews. Sam Fisk, associate director at Tangerine PR, which obtained the data through FOI requests, observed that most departments declined to provide comprehensive information, citing commercial sensitivities.

High-profile engagements have included scientist Simon Clark broadcasting a FaceTime conversation with Prime Minister Keir Starmer to 73,000 Instagram followers during the COP30 climate summit. Campaigner Anna Whitehouse, known professionally as Mother Pukka, shared discussions with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson regarding childcare system deficiencies with 444,000 followers. Personal finance influencers Cameron Smith and Abi Foster received prominent positioning at Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s pre-budget announcement.

Downing Street maintains the influencer ecosystem provides essential access to audiences disengaged from conventional media channels. Starmer has expanded his digital presence by launching both TikTok and Substack accounts, stating politicians should explore innovative communication methods to ensure transparency in governmental decision-making processes.

The shift represents a fundamental recalibration of public sector communications expenditure, though questions persist regarding return on investment, audience engagement metrics and the trade-offs between accessibility and journalistic accountability. The absence of detailed cost-benefit analyses from participating departments limits comprehensive assessment of this strategic pivot.