News: the creative industries are now worth £76.9 billion per year to the UK, with the design sector enjoying the biggest growth.

The creative industries are worth more to the UK than ever before, according to statistics released today by the country's Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Related story £3.4 billion crafts sector is "far bigger than we thought" says Crafts Council

The DCMS's Creative Industries Economic Estimates report uses data from 2013 to measure the size and economic value of nine sectors: advertising and marketing; architecture; crafts; design; film, TV, video, radio and photography; IT, software and computer services; publishing; museums, galleries and libraries; and music, performing and visual arts.

On average, the number of jobs contained within the creative industries in the UK has increased 3.9 per cent per year since 1997, compared to 0.6 per cent in the wider economy.

But while the design industry is still smaller than tech, advertising and film, it is the fastest growing.

The number of jobs in design expanded by 22 per cent between 2011 and 2013, and it has also increased in value – from £905 million in 1997 to £3.1 billion in 2013.

The architecture sector showed a much smaller gain in employment, with an 0.4 per cent rise over the same two-year period.

"The UK's Creative Industries are recognised as world leaders around the globe and today's figures show that they continue to grow from strength to strength," said Sajid Javid, secretary of state for culture, media and sport. "They are one of our most powerful tools in driving growth, outperforming all other sectors of industry and their contribution to the UK economy is evident to all."

"Government is determined to continue its support for this most dynamic of sectors as part of our long-term economic plan," he added. "The tax reliefs we've got in place and are extending to Children's TV and orchestras have been instrumental in attracting inward investment, and are part of broad package of measures designed to ensure the continued success of the creative industries."

In 2013, the government courted controversy by suggesting it would remove crafts from its list of recognised creative industries, but changed its mind after research revealed the sector generated £3.4 billion a year as part of the wider creative economy.

In November last year, the Crafts Council launched a manifesto calling on the government to protect craft skills in the UK. More than 100 designers, educators and arts patrons signed an open letter supporting the Education Manifesto for Craft and Making.