YouTube Earnings in the UK: What Creators Actually Make in 2026

YouTube's payment system is based on ads shown to your viewers. You earn a share of the advertising revenue — typically 55% of what advertisers pay YouTube, though this varies for Shorts (45%) and Music (unclear splits).

The key metric is CPM (Cost Per Mille) — what advertisers pay per 1,000 ad impressions. But what you actually receive is RPM (Revenue Per Mille) — your take-home per 1,000 views after YouTube's cut and accounting for views that don't show ads.

For UK creators in 2026, average RPM sits between £1.50 and £8.00, depending heavily on your niche. This means for every 100,000 views, you earn between £150 and £800. That's real money, but it's substantially less than the £300-£1,500 that US creators earn for the same view count.

Why the difference? UK advertising spend per capita is lower than the US, and many UK viewers see ads from the UK ad market rather than the higher-paying US market. However, if your content attracts American viewers, your CPM for those views will be at US rates — one reason some UK creators deliberately make content with broad appeal.

YouTube pays in USD regardless of your location, converting to GBP at the current exchange rate when depositing to your UK bank account via AdSense. This means the pound-dollar exchange rate directly affects your earnings.

Not all views are created equal. Here's what UK creators report earning across different content categories in 2026.

Highest-paying UK niches (£6-£18 CPM):
- Personal finance and investing: £8-£18
- Business and entrepreneurship: £7-£15
- Technology and software reviews: £6-£14
- Property and mortgages: £8-£16
- Legal and professional advice: £7-£13

Mid-range UK niches (£3-£7 CPM):
- Education and tutorials: £4-£8
- Health and wellness: £3-£7
- Career advice: £4-£8
- DIY and home improvement: £3-£6
- Cooking and food: £3-£7

Lower-paying UK niches (£1-£4 CPM):
- Entertainment and comedy: £1.50-£4
- Gaming: £1.50-£3.50
- Music and reactions: £1-£3
- Vlogs and lifestyle: £2-£4
- ASMR: £1.50-£3

Important context: these are CPMs (what advertisers pay). Your RPM (what you take home) is typically 40-55% of CPM after YouTube's cut and non-monetised views. A £10 CPM translates to roughly £4-£5.50 RPM in practice.

Subscriber count is a rough proxy for earnings, though views matter much more. Here's what UK YouTubers typically report.

1,000-5,000 subscribers: Just monetised. Most UK creators at this level earn £30-£200/month from ads. Upload frequency and niche matter enormously. A finance channel here might earn £150/month; a gaming channel might earn £30.

5,000-25,000 subscribers: Building momentum. UK creators typically earn £150-£800/month from ads. Brand deals start arriving — usually £200-£1,000 per sponsored video. Total monthly income: £300-£1,500.

25,000-100,000 subscribers: This is where YouTube becomes a viable income. Ad revenue typically reaches £500-£3,000/month. Brand deals range from £500-£5,000 per video, and you might land 2-4 per month. Total monthly income: £1,500-£8,000.

100,000-500,000 subscribers: Professional-level creator. Ad revenue of £2,000-£10,000/month. Brand deals of £2,000-£15,000 per video. Additional income from merchandise, memberships, and affiliate marketing. Total monthly income: £5,000-£25,000.

500,000+ subscribers: Top tier in the UK market. Ad revenue of £5,000-£30,000/month. Brand deals of £5,000-£50,000+ per video. Multiple revenue streams pushing total income to £15,000-£100,000+/month.

Remember: these are ranges, not guarantees. Plenty of channels with 100K subscribers earn less than some with 20K because niche, engagement, and upload frequency vary so much.

UK creators need to work smarter to close the gap with US earnings. Here are proven strategies.

Target international audiences. If even 20-30% of your viewers are from the US, your blended CPM increases significantly. Create content with universal appeal rather than UK-only topics — unless you're in a UK-specific high-CPM niche like property or finance.

Upload consistently in high-CPM niches. A weekly upload schedule in a finance or tech niche will out-earn daily uploads in a gaming niche. Quality and niche selection beat volume every time for revenue.

Optimise for longer watch times. YouTube shows more ads on longer videos (8+ minutes qualifies for mid-roll ads). This directly increases your RPM. But don't pad videos — viewers and the algorithm can tell.

Use AI tools for efficiency. FluxNote and similar tools let you produce more content in less time. For faceless channels especially, AI-generated videos with professional voiceover and stock footage can maintain quality while increasing upload frequency.

Don't ignore YouTube Shorts. UK Shorts earn less per view (£0.01-£0.05 per 1,000 views from the Shorts monetisation programme), but they're excellent for driving subscribers to your long-form content where the real money is.

Diversify beyond ad revenue. UK YouTubers who rely only on AdSense are leaving money on the table. Add affiliate links (Amazon UK pays 1-10%), digital products, and a Patreon or channel memberships to your income mix.