Band managers and consumer groups have sent an open letter to the Prime Minister calling on the government to press ahead with a ticket resell price cap amid warnings that music fans face being ‘fleeced’ out of £24m
Music fans risk being “fleeced” out of £24million by ticket touts for summer concerts this year consumer group Which? claims.
It warned tickets for in-demand gigs by Harry Styles, Ariana Grande, BTS and others are being advertised at hugely inflated prices on resell websites StubHub and Viagogo.
In November last year, the government announced plans to bans the reselling of tickets for live events for profit. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy suggested legislation would be included in next month’s King’s Speech.
However, Which? says concerns have grown that the issue may have slipped down the government’s priority list after Arts Minister Ian Murray told a meeting in Westminster that it may not feature in its programme of legislation set out by the Monarch. Which?, along with others, is urging the government to press ahead with a ticket resale price cap.
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It came as it released research comparing the face value of tickets with inflated listings by third-party sellers on resale sites. According to the analysis, Harry Styles fans will be hit especially hard as resellers could make £6.6million from his live shows. Which? researchers found a single Harry Styles ticket with a face value of £200 listed on StubHub for £3,622.
Which? found a single BTS ticket with a face value of £450 was listed for £4,872 on StubHub, and an Ariana Grande ticket worth £135 was listed for £2,832 on StubHub.
A coalition of fan and music industry groups has written an open letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer urging him to protect fans. Signatories include management for Arctic Monkeys, Ed Sheeran, Fontaines DC, Keane, Nick Cave and Radiohead.
The letter states: “The predatory tactics used by touts, often operating overseas, are distorting the live events sector and causing significant harm to UK fans who are consistently excluded from attending shows due to exorbitant prices.
“Culture should be accessible to all. Fans now need a parliamentary timetable that guarantees delivery of these important protections. Including the Bill in the King’s Speech is the only way to do so. Without this formal commitment, the public will see this as yet another Government U-turn.”
Lisa Webb, Which? consumer law expert, said: “Our research shows professional ticket touts are preparing to make millions this summer by exploiting true music fans – a reminder of why new laws for a price cap on ticket resales are so urgently needed.
“The government promised to put fans first and make music and live events affordable for all. Backtracking on this promise without a clear timetable for legislation would be a gift to touts and a slap in the face for fans. The Prime Minister must shut down online ticket touts for good by including price cap legislation in next month’s King’s Speech.”
A spokesperson for StubHub said: “As a marketplace, we do not set ticket prices. We provide a safe, trusted and transparent platform where sellers set the price of a ticket, and buyers decide their purchase price. Prices can fluctuate over time – and we find tickets listed at exceptionally high prices rarely sell – meaning that static reports don’t reflect actual sales.
“We are committed to keeping fans safe within the highly regulated UK market. Independent analysis shows that price caps on ticket resales push fans towards unsafe alternatives, and if caps were to be adopted in the UK, it could result in a cost to consumers of £1.2billion in fraud each year.”
A spokesperson for Viagogo said: “Which?’s analysis focuses only on listing prices. In reality, completed sales often show tickets selling at or below face value.
“As of September 2025, nearly 30% of UK events on Viagogo averaged under £50, and 84% under £100. On our marketplace, sellers set the price and fans ultimately decide the ticket value that meets their budget. Demand will be at its peak when tickets hit the on-sale but it’s not a normal reflection of what tickets can and will go for.
“Wildly inflated ticket listing prices outside the demand are not likely to sell at any point. In other markets where price caps exist, fans are left with one dominant primary platform.
“One solution to reduce ticket prices would be to introduce open ticketing in the UK, connecting primary sellers and resale platforms so tickets are verified and ownership is always updated.”
A Government spokesperson said: “Ticket touts are a blight on the live events industry, causing misery for millions of fans.
“We set out decisive plans last year to stamp out touting once and for all, and we are committed to delivering on these for the benefit of fans and industry.”
Sources said the change requires new primary legislation, with options being considered on how to do so at the earliest opportunity. The department refused to comment on the contents of the upcoming King’s Speech.
