Phoebe Waller-Bridge, creator of the television series Fleabag, has contributed a residential property to Writers’ Block, a newly established program designed to address financial barriers preventing emerging writers from living in London. The flat will be made available to writers from disadvantaged backgrounds who will be required to cover only utilities and basic expenses.
Waller-Bridge has supplemented the property donation with additional financial support. Screenwriter Jack Thorne, known for his work on Adolescence and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, is also providing financial backing to the initiative. Thorne noted that affordable housing during early career stages is essential for writers to focus on their craft rather than survival, particularly for those without family financial resources to rely upon.
The scheme has attracted backing from multiple figures in the entertainment industry, including playwright James Graham, creator of stage productions such as Ink and Quiz; Sally Wainwright, who created Happy Valley; Peter Morgan, a writer for The Crown; and Martin McDonagh, a screenwriter and director known for films including The Banshees of Inisherin.
Research from the Sutton Trust and the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre documented that working-class individuals represent only 16 percent of the creative industries workforce, with class disparities exceeding those in other sectors. Graham stated that while the industry has focused on various diversity initiatives, class representation remains the most overlooked area of inequality.
Writers’ Block evolved from the Adopt a Playwright Award, established in 2008 to provide temporary accommodation for writers needing to be present in London for professional activities. The expanded scheme solicits spare rooms from London residents at capped rates of £30 nightly or £500 monthly. The program has currently recruited 15 residences and facilitated housing placements for 12 writers through both short-term and extended arrangements.
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