News story

Great British Summer Savings 2026: Family activities VAT relief fact sheet

From 25 June to 1 September 2026 the Government is introducing a temporary reduced rate of VAT on children's menu meals in restaurants and family leisure activities over the summer period, cutting VAT from 20% to 5%.

• From: HM Treasury
• Published: 21 May 2026

• This will help families afford life’s little treats and help them to make memories — from a meal out to a visit to a theme park or the cinema — at a time when rising costs are putting pressure on household budgets. 
• Free bus travel for children aged 5–15 in England in August will further support families to get out and about this summer. 
• The Government will work with eligible businesses to get the scheme up and running. 
• This initiative supports the action the government has already taken to reduce the cost of living, including cutting energy bills, freezing prescription charges, protecting motorists from fuel duty increases and raising the minimum wage.

We are cutting the cost of summer activities for families 

• From 25 June to 1 September 2026, the reduced 5% rate of VAT will apply to eligible services including: 
  • Children’s meals served in restaurants for consumption on the premises   — defined as meals served from a children’s menu and marketed, presented and priced as children’s meals. 
  • Children’s and family tickets for cinema, theatre, exhibitions, shows and concerts 
  • Admission tickets — for both children and adults — to attractions such as amusement parks, fairs, circuses, museums, zoos, adventure parks, soft play and observation attractions  
• The reduced rate applies in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 
• The period begins with the start of the Scottish school summer holidays and extends across the full UK school summer holiday period. 
• If the business chooses to pass through the full benefit, the total VAT savings for a family of two adults and two children could be:  
  • £20 off the family’s tickets to a theme park  
  • £2 off entry to soft play  
  • £6 off the family’s tickets to a farm attraction 
  • £17 off the family’s tickets to a wildlife park
  • £1.50 off the children’s tickets to the cinema 
  • £9 off the family’s tickets to the circus 
  • £2 off the children’s meals on a lunch out 
  • £11 off the family’s tickets to the aquarium

We are supporting families to get out and about this summer 

• Throughout August, all children aged 5 to 15 in England will be able to travel free on any local bus service. 
• This will help more families access summer activities while reducing pressure on household budgets. 
• London already operates its own 5–15-year-old Zip Card scheme, which provides children with free travel across London.

We are providing targeted support without undermining public finances 

• The VAT relief is temporary — running over the summer months only — and targeted at UK families. 
• This is designed to support families by making family days out more affordable, while also supporting businesses through increased footfall.  
• This builds on action the Government has already taken to cut energy bills, protect motorists from fuel duty increases, and crack down on unfair price gouging. 
• Final costings will be confirmed at the next fiscal event following certification from the Office for Budget Responsibility.

How will businesses pass this on to families? 

• The government expects qualifying businesses to pass these savings on to families by lowering the prices people pay on eligible children’s meals and tickets, so the VAT cut is reflected directly at the till. 
• Passing on the full saving can help businesses attract more customers over the summer, increasing footfall and supporting local economies. 
• We recognise businesses are facing cost pressures, which is why we are also supporting them through measures including a £4.3bn package to limit business rates bill rises and action to cut energy costs for intensive industries.

How the reduced rate works in practice 

Eligible activities

• Children’s meals for consumption on the premises are eligible where served from a dedicated children’s menu and marketed, presented and priced as such.  
• For cinemas, theatres, exhibitions, concerts and shows, the reduced rate applies to children’s and family tickets only. 
• The reduced rate applies to admission tickets, including adults, for: 
  • amusement parks and fairs, including water parks and theme parks (excluding pay-per-ride attractions) 
  • circuses 
  • adventure parks, including outdoor adventure centres 
  • museums and similar cultural facilities, including planetariums, heritage sites, nature reserves and botanical gardens. 
  • zoos, aquariums, wildlife parks and farm visitor attractions.  
  • soft play centres, indoor bounce parks and indoor play facilities 
  • observation attractions, including viewing platforms, towers and observation wheels 
• Sports facilities are not included. Certain sports supplies are already exempt from VAT, such as when they are provided by eligible non-profit bodies (e.g. swimming at a community swimming pool).

Season tickets and advance purchases

• If a ticket permits repeat entries outside the dates 25 June to 1 September, such as a season ticket, it will not qualify for the relief unless it is priced the same as a standard single-entry ticket. Repeat entry tickets solely for use within the relief period will qualify for the relief.  
• Businesses will be able to apply the 5% rate of VAT on eligible sales for admission between 25 June and 1 September. For sales that have been made before the legislation is in place, including before the announcement, businesses may opt to apply the reduced rate or refund the VAT saving.

Sector-specific queries

• Individual businesses should consult HMRC guidance to determine how the rules apply in their specific circumstances. 
• Further guidance for businesses from HMRC is available here.

Published 21 May 2026