The YouTube Partner Programme (YPP) is how creators and businesses earn money from YouTube. In 2026 it has two levels. With 500 subscribers and a few recent uploads you can open up fan funding and shopping features. With 1,000 subscribers plus either 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views, you also get a share of ad and YouTube Premium revenue.

Those thresholds are changing for new applicants from February 2027, so if you are close, it is worth understanding the rules now. Below we explain how the YouTube Partner Programme works, step by step, using YouTube’s own help pages and announcements, plus a short note on UK tax.

There are two levels of the YouTube Partner Programme

YouTube’s help centre sets out two tiers in the UK. You can apply for the first once you meet either set of requirements, then gain more features as your channel grows.

Level	Subscribers	Activity	What you get
Fan funding and shopping	500	3 public uploads in the last 90 days, plus 3,000 watch hours in 12 months or 3 million Shorts views in 90 days	Channel memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers, Super Thanks, Shopping
Ad revenue	1,000	4,000 public watch hours in 12 months, or 10 million Shorts views in 90 days	Share of ad and YouTube Premium revenue, plus the features above

Watch hours from Shorts viewed in the Shorts feed do not count towards the 4,000 hour total. Only hours from public long form videos do.

Other requirements

• Live in a country or region where YPP is available (the UK is included)
• Follow YouTube’s channel monetisation policies and have no active Community Guidelines strikes
• Turn on two step verification for your Google account
• Have access to advanced features in YouTube Studio
• Link one active AdSense account

YouTube says reviews typically take about a month once you have applied. It also warns that monetisation may be switched off for channels that have not uploaded or posted for six months or more. You can check the full list on YouTube’s YPP eligibility help page.

The rules change for new applicants in 2027

In August 2026 YouTube announced its first significant changes to the programme since 2018. The new terms take effect on 1 February 2027, and creators are being asked to accept them in YouTube Studio by 31 January 2027 to keep full monetisation.

• Higher entry bar for ad revenue. New applicants will need 8,000 watch hours in the last 365 days or 20 million Shorts views in the last 90 days. Existing members are not affected.
• Shorts revenue needs ongoing views. From February 2027, channels need 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days to earn ad and Premium revenue from Shorts. Channels below that stay in YPP and keep earning from long form videos.
• Fan funding and shopping thresholds stay the same. The 500 subscriber level is unchanged.
• Premium Lite is expanding to every country where YouTube Premium is offered, with its own revenue pool shared with creators.

If you are a business building a channel, the message is clear: long form video is becoming the more reliable route to ad revenue, while Shorts are best used for reach and discovery.

How YouTube Partner Programme revenue sharing works

According to the YouTube blog, partners receive 55% of the net ad revenue from long form videos and 45% from Shorts. Shorts revenue is pooled and shared based on views, because ads play between Shorts rather than inside one video.

YouTube Premium subscribers do not see ads, so YouTube shares part of their subscription money with creators based on how much they watch your content. In its August 2026 update YouTube said that, based on 2026 performance, partners earned more on average from a viewer’s Premium sign up than from that viewer’s ad views.

How much you actually earn per thousand views varies enormously. It depends on your audience’s country, the time of year, the topic, video length and how many ads advertisers are bidding for. Be wary of anyone quoting a fixed figure.

There are several ways to earn, not just ads

1. Ad revenue. Ads on the watch page and in the Shorts feed.
2. YouTube Premium revenue. A share of subscription income when Premium members watch.
3. Channel memberships. Monthly paid tiers with perks such as badges or members only videos.
4. Super Chat, Super Stickers and Super Thanks. Viewers pay to highlight messages during live streams or to thank you on a video.
5. Shopping. Tag your own products, or eligible affiliate products, in videos where available.

Each feature has its own terms (YouTube calls them modules) that you accept separately in YouTube Studio.

Related reading: What Is SEO For YouTube? How To Optimise Your YouTube Channel For Views

For a business channel, memberships and Super Thanks tend to suit brands with an enthusiastic following, such as a specialist retailer, a training provider or a venue with regulars. Shopping is the more obvious fit for product businesses, because viewers can go from a demonstration video to a product page in a couple of taps. Ad revenue is the most passive income, but it is also the hardest to grow without a lot of views.

Is the Partner Programme worth it for a business?

For most small businesses, YouTube ad revenue will be small. The real value of a channel is usually elsewhere: being found when people search for answers, building trust before they ever contact you and giving your sales team videos to send to prospects. A kitchen fitter answering “how long does a kitchen installation take?” can win a job worth far more than a year of ad revenue.

Search is where business channels tend to win. People type questions into YouTube in the same way they do into Google, and a clear, well titled video can keep bringing in viewers for years after it is published. That steady watch time is also exactly what counts towards the 4,000 hour threshold.

That said, the programme is worth joining once you qualify. The extra income helps fund production, and fan funding features can work well for businesses with a loyal community. Just make sure ads do not distract from your own calls to action, and remember you can choose where mid roll ads appear on long videos.

If you want a channel that brings in enquiries as well as views, our video production team can plan, film and edit content built around what your customers search for.

A quick note on UK tax

This is general information, not tax advice. Speak to an accountant about your situation.

• Tell HMRC. HMRC’s guidance on online platforms says income from creating content counts, including gifts and services received for promoting products. If your total trading income is more than the £1,000 trading allowance in a tax year, you may need to report it, usually through Self Assessment. Limited companies report it through their company accounts.
• Submit US tax information. Google asks creators outside the US to submit US tax details in AdSense. YouTube says withholding on earnings from US viewers ranges from 0% to 30% depending on tax treaties. If an individual does not submit the information, Google may withhold up to 24% of total worldwide earnings.
• Keep records. Save payment reports, equipment receipts and costs such as editing software, which may be allowable expenses.

Frequently asked questions

How many subscribers do you need for the YouTube Partner Programme?

500 subscribers for fan funding and shopping features, and 1,000 subscribers for ad revenue, alongside watch hour or Shorts view requirements.

How long does YPP approval take?

YouTube says reviews typically take about a month after you complete all sign up steps.

Do Shorts views count towards watch hours?

No. Watch time from the Shorts feed does not count towards the 4,000 hour threshold. Shorts have their own route based on views in the last 90 days.

How much does YouTube pay per 1,000 views?

There is no fixed rate. Earnings depend on audience location, topic, season and advertiser demand, so they vary widely between channels.

Build a YouTube channel that pays its way

Whether you want to reach the Partner Programme or simply turn video into enquiries, we can help with strategy, filming and editing, and with promoting your videos across social media. Contact Delivered Social to talk about your channel.