Great British Summer Savings
Rising prices can make life’s little treats harder to afford, especially during the school holidays when costs build up for families. This Government is determined to help, and that is why last month the Chancellor announced the Great British Summer Savings scheme.
From 25 June to 1 September 2026, the Government is temporarily cutting VAT from 20% to 5% on children’s meals in restaurants, children and family tickets to cinemas, theatres, concerts and exhibitions, and admission to a wide range of attractions. Combined with free bus travel during August for children aged 5 to 15 in England, families and young people will be able to enjoy experiences that make summer special, including visits to the kinds of cultural and educational attractions that enrich children’s lives outside the classroom.
The public are ready to get behind the scheme and are keen to take advantage of the discounts available. As trusted pillars of their communities, schools play a vital role in connecting families with important information.
This forms part of a broader effort by the Government to ease financial pressures on families. From ending the two-child limit and expanding free school meals, to rolling out free breakfast clubs and delivering 30 hours of free childcare, this Government is taking action to put more money back into parents’ pockets and give every child the best possible start in life.
As part of this campaign, we have launched an attraction finder website which allows families to type in their postcode and find participating venues near them to make the most of summer savings. To use the attraction finder, please visit https://summersavings.gov.uk.
Businesses can find out more about the VAT reduction by visiting GOV.UK and searching ‘Temporary reduced rate of VAT for family attractions’.
