Department for Education defends spending £700,000 on influencers

In May, Bridget Phillipson was forced to defend the move to feature reality TV star Gemma Collins in a series of DfE social media posts -

The Department for Education has defended its expenditure of more than £700,000 on "influencer marketing" over the past two years. Figures released in response to a parliamentary question last month show the department allocated £119,300 in the 2024/25 financial year and a further £589,671 for 2025/26. This spending has drawn sharp criticism, with the Conservative Party suggesting it highlights significant misjudgements in Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson’s priorities.

But the DfE said: “Influencer marketing allows us to reach audiences where they are, in a much more cost-effective way than traditional marketing techniques.