Making a Payback claim
Payback opens for claim submissions in January each year and closes in April. If you’ve claimed through your DACS Payback account before, your details from last time are saved – so you only need to add any new information. We’ll have checked and processed the data you gave, and removed anything not valid.
Submission dates
There are 2 parts to the Payback claim form. You need to submit Part 1 by February, and Part 2 in April.
Part 1
This part is optional but we recommend completing it if you have enough details, as it will maximise your publication royalties.
List past use of your work in books, magazines, journals (print or digital), providing titles and the number of your images used in each. Include the relevant:
- ISBNs (international standard book number)
- ISSNs (international standard serial number)
- website URLs
Finding ISBNs and ISSNs
Get help finding ISBNs and ISSNs
Website URLs
Only provide the main website URL, not the specific page your image is on. Write the total number of times your image or images were used on the website. For example: www.nationalgeographic.com, 4 images.
Part 2
You must complete the second part of your claim form to make a Payback claim.
Describe past use of your work in publications up to and including 2023, and use of your work in TV programmes broadcast in 2023.
Books, magazines and journals
Give the total number of books your work appeared in, and 3 examples of those books including the title, year of publication and ISBN. (If your work only appeared in 1 or 2 books, you only need to list those).
Magazines and journals
Do the same for magazines and journals, providing up to 3 examples of, including the title, issue number/cover date and ISSN.
TV programmes
Provide the total number of times your work was shown on each TV channel in 2023 only, and 3 examples of these uses, including the programme title and channel.
How to complete the Payback claim form
Watch our video for pointers on completing your form.
Application errors
Check your claim thoroughly, and only claim for eligible uses.
We’ll check your form for errors, like missing details for publications, and let you know by email. But we can only contact you 2 times. If you cannot correct the error by the relevant deadline, we will reject your claim.
Using picture library sales reports
If your image was licensed by a picture library, you will have no ISBN or ISSN, instead you will have a picture library sales report.
You cannot claim for Part 1 with a picture library sales report. But if the region or territory states UK or United Kingdom, it can be used to validate Part 2 of your claim.
Items listed as Worldwide or English language, without a specific territory, are not eligible. This is because you can only claim for work in a UK-published book or magazine.
Process steps
- Clearly indicate which images from the picture library report you’re including.
- Upload your sales report directly on the Payback website, using the Supporting Documents button on the Part 2 Books and Magazines claim screen.
More than 50,000 uses
If the number of your images used in books and magazines exceeds 50,000, get in touch with us. We’ll make manual changes to your form, so that you receive the right royalties.
This applies to unique uses of your copyrighted work in multiple publications of eligible books and magazines. It does not apply to the number of copies of a publication printed or sold.
When to get in touch with DACS
Yes:
- if you had 1,000 photographs published in 50 separate publications
- if you had 100 illustrations published in 500 separate publications
No:
- if you had 1 photograph in one publication with a print run of 60,000
How to get in touch with us
Email DACS Payback team or call 0207 780 7580.