Payback 2007 is here for photographers and illustrators...

PAYBACK is the service from DACS (the Design and Artists Copyright Society) which pays photographers, illustrators, artists and all other visual creators a share of collective copyright licensing revenue for secondary uses of their artistic works. This year they're sharing out £3 million. The number of NUJ members claiming Payback grew by around 75 per cent last year to around 400.

All previous claimants receive a form and statement detailing last year's claim. You should find a form to make a new claim enclosed with this issue. Photographers and illustrators can now claim online, at www.dacs.org.uk/payback - the deadline is 30 September. If you have a spare form, pass it on to a friend or tell them to visit that Payback page.

And if you want to opt out of this scheme, contact the Freelance Office. Newspapers (including supplements) are not covered by the licensing schemes at present.

• See www.dacs.org.uk/index.php?m=2&s=2&c=12 for links about collective licensing.