Government Announces Ban on Ticket Resale Above Original Price

Dua Lipa joined numerous musical artists last week urging government action against “ticket touts exploiting fans”

The government will prohibit the resale of live event tickets for profit in a new initiative announced Wednesday.

Ministers will unveil the strategy to combat ticket scalpers and resale platforms that frequently offer music, theatrical, comedic, and sporting event tickets at significantly inflated prices.

Addressing ticket resale practices was among the Labour government’s electoral commitments, responding to public complaints about exorbitant prices in the secondary ticket market.

The decision follows last week’s appeal from dozens of artists including Sam Fender, Dua Lipa, and Coldplay, who collectively urged Sir Keir Starmer to safeguard audiences from exploitation.

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Actors Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith discuss the negative impact of ticket reselling

Previous consultations had considered limiting resale prices to 30% above original ticket values.

However, the government has determined to establish the maximum at the initial purchase price, while also implementing measures to restrict additional fees that could circumvent the pricing regulations.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will announce its intention to eliminate large-scale ticket resale operations, potentially reducing resale ticket costs by £37 on average and saving audiences approximately £112 million annually.

Resale platforms will bear legal responsibility for monitoring and implementing the new regulations.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed informed BBC Breakfast that profiteering at fans’ expense represents “a critically important matter” as it “severely harms individuals forced to pay inflated ticket prices.”

He emphasized the government’s “dedication to prohibiting this practice.”

The action responds to an open letter signed by prominent music industry figures.

The musical artists requested the prime minister to address “excessive and harmful” websites that take advantage of fans.

Additional signatories included consumer protection organization Which?, the Football Supporters’ Association, and associations representing the music and theater industries, venues, and ticket sellers.

Competition and Markets Authority analysis indicates tickets currently resold typically carry markups exceeding 50%.

Previous Trading Standards investigations have revealed instances of tickets being resold for up to six times their original cost.

Rocio Concha, policy and advocacy director at Which?, described the changes as “excellent news for music and sports enthusiasts,” adding that the proposal would “curb professional resellers and return tickets to genuine fans.”

She encouraged the government to “demonstrate the price cap’s importance by incorporating necessary legislation in the King’s Speech.”

Before the official announcement, Ticketmaster’s parent organization Live Nation Entertainment noted it already restricts UK resale to face value prices and characterized the reported plan as “another significant advancement for audiences.”

Resale platforms like Viagogo and Stubhub have previously argued that price restrictions might drive consumers toward unregulated websites and social media platforms, increasing fraud risks.

However, Tom Kiehl, UK Music’s chief executive, stated that secondary ticket price limitations are essential to protect both the industry and fans from “unreasonable” pricing.

“The music industry contributes £8 billion to the economy and depends on the strong connection between music lovers and artists,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today program on Tuesday.

“Currently, the resale market isn’t functioning properly.”