Families could pay less for summer days out this year, after the government announced a temporary VAT cut on selected attractions, children’s meals and entertainment tickets.
The Great British Summer Savings scheme will run from 25 June to 1 September 2026, covering the school summer holiday period across the UK. VAT on eligible activities will be cut from 20% to 5%, to reduce the cost of family days out and encourage more people to visit UK attractions.
The government said the scheme is designed to help families enjoy “weekend treats” and days out during the cost-of-living squeeze, while also supporting businesses that rely on summer footfall.
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The VAT cut will apply to children’s meals served in restaurants
What will be cheaper under the Great British Summer Savings scheme?
The temporary VAT cut will apply to a range of family-friendly activities and attractions across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Eligible areas include:
- Children’s menu meals served in restaurants
- Children’s and family tickets for cinemas, theatres, concerts, shows and exhibitions
- Admission tickets for children and adults to amusement parks, fairs, museums, zoos, soft play centres, circuses, adventure parks, nature reserves, wildlife parks and observation attractions
That means families could see lower prices at theme parks, soft play centres, cinemas, wildlife parks, museums and other paid-for days out this summer.
For instance, City Cruises, which operates sightseeing cruises on the River Thames in London and the River Ouse in York, has also confirmed it will pass on savings, with prices reduced by 15 per cent until the end of June using the code SUMMER15. Family sightseeing cruises start from £42.50 for a family of five
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Families could see lower prices at museums
Will children’s meals be cheaper too?
Yes, the VAT cut will apply to children’s meals served in restaurants, as long as they are from a children’s menu and marketed, presented and priced as children’s meals.
It does not appear to apply to all restaurant food, so parents should check whether savings are being passed on before assuming the whole bill will be reduced.
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When does the VAT cut start?
The scheme begins on 25 June 2026 and runs until 1 September 2026.
The date was chosen to coincide with the start of the Scottish school summer holidays and to cover the main school holiday period across all four UK nations.
The scheme begins on 25 June 2026
Will families definitely see cheaper tickets?
This is the key question. The government says it expects businesses to pass the VAT savings on to customers, and indeed some attractions and restaurants have already confirmed they will pass the savings on, but others have not yet said whether prices will change.
However, consumer group Which? has warned that the scheme will only be meaningful if families see genuine price reductions. Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel said: “If these VAT cuts are to be meaningful, it is crucial the reduction is passed on to people through genuine reductions in the cost of entry tickets, activities and meals out.
“Our previous research has shown that ticket prices have soared, with some UK historic attractions increasing by as much as 54 per cent, putting family days out beyond the reach of many.”
Merlin Entertainments, which operates 20 UK attractions including Alton Towers, LEGOLAND Windsor and SEA LIFE centres, has confirmed it will apply the VAT cut to admission tickets and children’s meals.
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The temporary VAT cut will apply to a range of family-friendly activities
Which attractions are included?
The reduced VAT rate applies to admission tickets for a broad range of attractions, including theme parks, amusement parks, fairs, museums, zoos, soft play centres, circuses, adventure parks, nature reserves, wildlife parks and observation attractions.
However, not every attraction will qualify. Activities where no VAT is already charged are not included. This may include some not-for-profit museums, zoos or theatres that benefit from existing exemptions.
Season tickets may also be excluded if they allow repeat entry outside the 25 June to 1 September window, unless they are priced the same as a standard single-entry ticket.
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Children will travel free on buses in August
As part of the same summer savings package, children aged five to 15 in England will be able to travel free on local bus services throughout August.
That could make local days out significantly cheaper for families, particularly for trips to town centres, parks, attractions, cinemas and restaurants during the school holidays.
Kids aged five to 15 will be able to travel free on local bus services
Why is the government doing this?
The government says the scheme is intended to ease pressure on household budgets, encourage families to enjoy affordable days out and support the visitor economy during the peak summer season.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the scheme would support families with “the little treats in life” while also boosting businesses across the UK. The scheme is expected to cost around £300 million.
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What should parents check before booking?
Before booking a day out, families should check whether the attraction or restaurant is passing on the VAT saving, whether the ticket type qualifies and whether any restrictions apply. It is also worth comparing prices against previous ticket costs rather than assuming a promotion is automatically cheaper.
For families planning several summer days out, the biggest savings are likely to come from combining reduced entry prices with free local bus travel for children in August.
