Who We Support

We support people who work in the music industry, with eligibility only for a few specialised services

Music Minds Matter is here for everybody behind the music we love.

However long you have worked in music and whatever your work in music you can use of our support easily and for free. This includes our helpline, online workshops, website and many other free events and resources.


Services with eligibility requirements 

A small number of services require you to prove your eligibility for our support so that we can make sure we are using our charitable funds to help those who need us most. Our rules are set to enable us to benefit as many people as we can, and we are continually seeking financial support that would enable us to support more people.

Eligible music income 

For our services with eligibility rules you will need to have earnt 40% of your income from eligible sources of income for at least two years to be able to access the support.

We have spoken to people across music to develop our list of eligible roles to ensure we can support as many people as possible and we update it regularly.

Our eligible work falls into six categories and you can include as many of them as are relevant on your application.

Making and playing music 

Any income from these sources is eligible:

  • Publishing and/​or recording royalties

  • Streaming and/​or digital downloads

  • Sync licensing/​deals of your music/​music you worked on

  • Sales of hard copies (vinyl, CDs etc.) of your music or music you worked on

  • Commissions for music libraries

  • Publishing/​recording/​distribution deals

  • Producing someone else’s music

  • Session gigs — live or studio

  • Live performances and rehearsals– solo or part of a group

  • Conducting, arranging or directing music

  • DJing live or on the radio

  • Sponsorship deals on basis of your music/​artist brand

  • Social media on basis of your music/​artist brand

  • Teaching music – at any level

  • Delivering music therapy

  • Other income from making or playing music

  • Other: please describe

Working in live music 

Freelance or employed income from any of these is eligible:

  • Booking agent and agent teams

  • Working in a live music venue or music rehearsal space

  • Managing or working on tours including crew and roadies

  • Music festival organising and delivery

  • Lighting and AV for live music

  • Music merch production and selling

  • Live music promotion

  • Live sound engineering

Distributing and publishing music 

Freelance or employed income from any of these is eligible:

  • Record labels and label services

  • Music publishing

  • Collective Management (e.g. PRS, PPL etc)

  • Sync commissioning and licensing

  • Music supervision

  • Digital Music Aggregation and/​or Distribution

  • Physical Music Distribution

  • Digital Streaming

  • Music copyist

  • Music radio production

  • Production Music (all roles including Media writers / composers / Freelance producers)

  • Music teams within UGC (User Generate Content) platforms e.g. YouTube, Tik Tok, Meta etc.

Studio production 

Freelance or employed income from any of these is eligible:

  • Producers and recording engineers

  • Studio Assistants

  • Mixing / Mastering engineers

  • Recording studio management and delivery staff

Professional services 

Freelance or employed income from any of these is eligible:

  • Artist liaising

  • Artist management

  • Artist PA

  • Music accounting

  • Music legal services

  • Music tech

  • Music PR and journalism

Other music work 

Freelance or employed income from any of these is eligible:

  • Teaching music at any level

  • Music therapy

  • Work with a music industry trade body or music charity

  • Instrument and gear technician/​Piano tuning/​instrument making