A coalition of broadcasters, sports bodies and law enforcement warns that illegal streaming costs the UK at least £1.4bn in lost revenue each year. Backed by Sky, the BBC, the Premier League, Formula 1 and the City of London Police, the report finds that almost one in three UK adults — about 16.8mn people — have used pirated streams in the past three months. The research, produced by WPI Economics, estimates £700mn lost from live‑sports piracy and £653mn from film and TV piracy, translating to roughly 10,400 fewer jobs and £366mn in lost tax revenue.

Sir John Whittingdale, MP and chair of the All‑Party Parliamentary Group for Intellectual Property, called the findings a “wake‑up call” and urged urgent government action. The Be Stream Wise campaign highlights cyber‑security, fraud and legal risks for consumers and recommends a voluntary, cross‑sector framework for platforms, connectivity providers and content services to make illegal content harder to access. Sky and the Premier League have already secured High Court orders forcing ISPs to block illicit streams, while police continue targeting organised‑crime groups behind streaming networks.