PRS for Music and the Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society (MCPS) are the two collecting societies that handle song copyright in the UK. They cover different rights, operate under different structures, and pay you in different ways – but they work closely together and share the same online portal.
PRS for Music
PRS is the UK’s performing rights society. If you write songs or compositions and want to collect performing rights income – from broadcasts, streaming, live performances, or any other public use of your music – you need to be a PRS member. Membership is a one-off fee of £100 (£30 if you are under 25).
PRS issues blanket licences to businesses that use music publicly – radio and TV broadcasters, streaming services, live venues, shops, restaurants, and anywhere else music is played. It then processes usage reports from those licensees and distributes royalties to its members based on what was played.
In recent years, PRS has moved to monthly distribution of streaming royalties and invested heavily in automated data-matching systems. It is a joint venture partner in ICE (International Copyright Enterprise), which handles multi-territory digital licensing across Europe, and works with PPL (the UK’s neighbouring rights society for performers and record labels) on public performance licensing.
Your writer’s share of PRS income – a minimum of 50% of performing rights royalties – is always paid directly to you. It cannot be assigned to a publisher or anyone else. If you have a publishing deal, your publisher receives their share separately from PRS; your writer’s share is protected.
MCPS
MCPS handles mechanical rights in the UK – the royalties generated when your music is reproduced. Historically, that meant physical products like CDs and vinyl. Today, it also covers downloads and certain elements of broadcast and streaming.
Whether you need to join MCPS directly depends on your publishing situation. If you are self-published, join MCPS to collect mechanical royalties yourself. MCPS membership is a separate one-off fee of £100. If you have a publisher or administrator, they access MCPS on your behalf, collecting mechanical royalties and paying your share according to your agreement.
Although PRS and MCPS are legally separate organisations with different ownership structures, they operate closely together. They share a single website and member portal, use combined registration systems, coordinate international representation, and run integrated customer service. For most practical purposes, you interact with them as one operation.
How collective licensing works
Both PRS and MCPS operate on the principle of collective licensing. Rather than every radio station, streaming service or live venue negotiating individual licences with millions of songwriters, these organisations offer blanket licences covering their entire repertoire. They collect the fees, process usage data, and distribute royalties to members.
Most collecting societies, including PRS, are not-for-profit organisations owned by their members. They fund their operations by deducting a commission from the money they process – typically between 6% and 15%, depending on the society and the income stream.
