The UK government's temporary VAT reduction from 20% to 5% on family-friendly activities is set to provide some relief for households during the summer holidays. The scheme, branded as Great British summer savings, kicks off on Thursday and runs until children return to school in September.
What is the scheme?
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the initiative as a way to support families with the little treats in life. The VAT cut applies to children's and family tickets for cinemas, theatres, concerts, shows, and exhibitions, as well as admission tickets to attractions like amusement parks, zoos, soft play centres, nature reserves, and wildlife parks. Children's meals in restaurants are also included.
Businesses can choose to pass on the reduced rate. If they do, the government estimates savings for a family of two adults and two children could be up to £20 on a theme park outing, £17 for a wildlife park, £1.50 off children's cinema tickets, and £2 off children's meals.
Participating attractions
Major attractions such as Peppa Pig World, Alton Towers, and Legoland are taking part. Merlin Entertainments, which owns 20 venues including Alton Towers and Legoland, has updated ticket prices to reflect the savings. Advance tickets for both parks now start at £29.75, down from £34.
Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire has also adjusted its pricing, bringing the cost of advance tickets for a family of four down to £122.30, a saving of £17.50.
Cinema chains Odeon, Vue, and Cineworld are participating as well. Odeon says a family ticket for two adults and two children will drop from £32 to £28.50 during the scheme.
Dining deals
Restaurant chains including Greene King, McDonald's, Wetherspoons, and Nando's have promised to pass on the tax saving on children's meals. Nando's Nandino meals will decrease from £6.95 to £6.08, while Wetherspoons children's meals drop from £5.75 to £5.03. McDonald's is reducing the price of a typical Happy Meal by 27% to £2.99.
However, there is no legal requirement for businesses to pass on the full saving, and some may choose not to or only partially do so.
Conditions and limitations
The VAT discount applies only to children's meals eaten in a restaurant or cafe, not takeaways. McDonald's has extended the Happy Meal discount to drive-thru and takeaway customers who order through its app, excluding home delivery.
Season tickets, such as Merlin passes starting at £139, are not included. The reduced rate for cinema and theatre applies to children's tickets and adults only as part of a family package. For attractions and soft play centres, the reduced rate applies to all tickets.
Refunds for existing bookings
Businesses are not required to issue refunds for prepaid tickets, but the government expects them to do so where possible. Longleat is offering automatic refunds for customers who booked dates covered by the offer. However, Hever Castle in Kent states that the offer is not retrospective and existing bookings cannot be cancelled and rebooked.
Additional savings
The scheme also includes free travel on local bus services for children aged 5-15 in England during August, potentially saving a family with two children £27. This does not apply in London, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.
Other money-saving tips include looking for cereal packet offers, using National Rail's Days Out Guide for 2 for 1 deals, and taking advantage of Merlin's two parks for the price of one offer.
