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Economy
Jun 23, 2026
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Great British Summer Savings: VAT Cut Brings Family Discounts on Days Out and Dining

AI Summary
The UK government has introduced a temporary VAT reduction from 20% to 5% on family-friendly activities and children's meals during the school holidays, offering significant savings for families across Britain.

The Government's Family-Friendly VAT Reduction

From Thursday, families can enjoy reduced prices at popular attractions and restaurants as the government's 'Great British summer savings' scheme begins. Billed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves as a way to 'support families with the little treats in life,' the temporary VAT cut will reduce ticket prices at family attractions such as zoos and theme parks as well as the cost of children's cinema tickets and restaurant meals.

What Activities Are Included in the VAT Cut?

The chancellor has temporarily cut VAT from 20% to 5% on a range of family-friendly activities from when schools break up in Scotland on June 25 until children return to classrooms in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on September 1. The reduced rate, which businesses can choose to pass on, applies to:

  • Children's and family tickets for cinemas, theatres, concerts, shows and exhibitions
  • Admission tickets, for children and adults, to attractions, including: amusement parks, zoos, soft play centres, nature reserves and wildlife parks
  • Children's meals in restaurants

The initiative is designed to ease the cost of living, and if companies pass on the reduced rate, the government says savings for a family of two adults and two children equate 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.

Major Attractions Participating in the Discount Scheme

Big attractions including Peppa Pig World, Alton Towers and Legoland are among the well-known names taking part. Merlin Entertainments, which owns 20 venues including Alton Towers and Legoland, has updated ticket prices to show 'summer VAT savings applied.' Advance tickets for both parks now start at £29.75, down from £34.

Famous for its safari park in Wiltshire, Longleat has also updated its ticketing system with the discount bringing the cost of advance tickets for a family of four down to £122.30, a saving of £17.50.

The Odeon, Vue and Cineworld cinema chains are also taking part. While prices vary depending on where you live and how you book, Odeon says a family ticket (two adults and two children) will come down from £32 to £28.50 during the scheme.

Restaurant Chains Offering Children's Meal Discounts

Greene King, with more than 2,500 outlets, McDonald's, Wetherspoons and Nando's are among the household names promising to pass on the tax saving on children's meals. Nando's says its 'Nandino' meals will come down from £6.95 to £6.08 while on the Wetherspoons children's menu a £5.75 meal drops to £5.03. McDonald's is slashing the price of a typical Happy Meal by 27% to £2.99.

There is no legal requirement for businesses to participate, and some struggling hospitality businesses may decide not to, or only pass on part of the discount.

Important Details About the VAT Reduction

The discount only applies 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 meaning only home delivery is excluded.)

For a children's meal to qualify, it must be advertised and priced as a child's meal, and it must be eaten in a restaurant or cafe. The reduction does not apply to meals marketed as smaller portions or lower-calorie options. Where a children's meal is supplied for a single inclusive price, say including a drink or additional courses, the entire package is eligible for the reduced rate. Meals that include an alcoholic drink do not qualify.

What's Not Included in the Scheme

Season tickets, such as the popular Merlin passes that start at £139, are not included in the scheme. The rules say that a weekly or season pass allowing multiple visits beyond the summer holidays do not qualify if they cost more than a standard single-entry ticket.

The reduced rate for cinema, theatre, exhibition and show entry applies to children's tickets and is only extended to adults as part of a family package. For attractions (and soft play centres) the reduced rate applies to all tickets.

Refund Policies for Existing Bookings

You might get a refund for existing bookings, but businesses don't have to provide one. For its part, the government says it 'would expect that where a customer has prepaid that they would be refunded for any additional VAT paid.' Longleat, for example, says that customers who had already booked a date covered by the offer will get an automatic refund of the difference.

However, Hever Castle in Kent says on its website that the 'offer is not retrospective and cannot be applied to tickets bought before this date. Existing bookings cannot be cancelled and rebooked to take advantage of the discounted prices.' This approach 'ensures we can apply offers fairly and consistently across all seasonal campaigns,' it adds.