Great British Summer Savings cuts VAT from 20% to 5% on children's restaurant meals, cinema and theatre tickets, and admission to attractions such as soft play and theme parks, running 25 June to 1 September 2026. Children aged 5 to 15 in England also travel free on local buses throughout August 2026, saving the typical £1-£2 child fare on every trip, the Department for Transport confirmed on 10 July 2026.
TL;DR · LAST REVIEWED 10 July 2026
- VAT cut from 20% to 5% on children's meals, tickets and attractions, 25 June to 1 September 2026, applied automatically at the till.
- Children aged 5-15 in England travel free on local buses throughout August 2026; typical child fares are £1-£2 per trip. Under-5s already travel free with most operators.
- The £3 bus fare cap is extended to March 2027, the Transport Secretary confirmed on 10 July 2026, correcting an earlier reported April 2027 date.
- The free bus scheme, branded "Kids Go Free," started as a regional West of England scheme before being rolled out nationally for August 2026.
KEY FACTS
- VAT cut: 20% to 5% on eligible children's meals, tickets and attractions, 25 June to 1 September 2026, UK-wide
- Free bus travel: children aged 5-15, local buses in England only, 1-31 August 2026
- Typical child bus fare saved per trip: £1-£2; under-5s already travel free with most operators
- £3 bus fare cap extended to March 2027 (corrected from an earlier reported April 2027)
- First rail fare freeze in 30 years, saving passengers £600 million
- £3 billion national investment in bus services announced alongside the scheme
What is Great British Summer Savings?
Great British Summer Savings is a temporary cost-of-living measure from HM Treasury, launched to make family days out more affordable over the 2026 summer holidays. The headline element is a VAT cut on children's activities, with the saving applied at the point of sale rather than claimed back later.
| Detail | What it means |
|---|---|
| VAT cut | From 20% to 5% |
| VAT cut dates | 25 June to 1 September 2026 |
| Coverage | UK-wide (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) |
| How you get the VAT cut | Applied automatically at the till, no voucher or claim |
| Free bus travel | Children aged 5-15, local buses in England, 1-31 August 2026 |
| Typical child fare saved | £1-£2 per trip; under-5s already travel free |
| Bus fare cap | £3 cap extended to March 2027 |
What the VAT cut covers
The reduced 5% rate applies to children's restaurant meals, children's tickets for cinemas, theatres, concerts and exhibitions, and admission to many attractions including soft play, amusement parks, museums, zoos and nature reserves. Lower prices appear automatically at the till, so there is no voucher or claim to make. Repeat-entry tickets, such as season passes, only qualify if priced the same as a standard single-entry ticket for use within the relief period.
Which businesses are taking part
Businesses that have committed to passing on the savings include Merlin Entertainments (whose sites include Alton Towers, LEGOLAND and the London Eye), Cineworld, Greene King-managed pubs, Nando's, Paultons Park, Gulliver's Theme Park Resorts, Haven, Crealy, Camel Creek Family Adventure Park and Barleylands Farm Park. Some are going further: Merlin is offering two theme parks for the price of one alongside the VAT cut, and Adventure Attractions in Bournemouth is removing its historic pier toll for the period. The list is expected to grow as the scheme continues through summer.
What's new: the bus scheme officially launches
The Department for Transport confirmed on 10 July 2026 that free bus travel for children aged 5 to 15 in England will run for the whole of August, timed to the school summer holidays. Roads Minister Simon Lightwood visited Bath on 9 July 2026 to mark the launch with local bus operators and school families. Typical child bus fares of £1 to £2 per trip will be waived on participating local services throughout the month; under-5s already travel free across the main bus operators. The offer applies to local bus services in England only, not London, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, where travel support is devolved or already structured differently.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander framed the scheme as part of wider cost-of-living support, alongside the £3 bus fare cap, which the government confirmed on 10 July 2026 is extended to March 2027. The government also points to the first rail fare freeze in 30 years, saving passengers £600 million, and a £3 billion national investment programme to improve bus services.
The free August travel offer is a national rollout of "Kids Go Free," which began as a regional scheme in the West of England. Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said the scheme had already made a noticeable difference for local families before being adopted nationally. VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes added that free bus travel gives families an easier, lower-cost way to reach seaside towns, countryside and city attractions across England during the holidays.
Other cost-of-living support this summer
The government lists Great British Summer Savings alongside wider support, including £150 off bills through the Warm Home Discount, a frozen fuel duty extended to the end of the year, the £3 bus fare cap now confirmed to March 2027, and a 4% rise in the National Living Wage.
RELATED GUIDES
DISCLAIMER
This article is for general information only and reflects figures published by HM Treasury, the Department for Transport and the government's Cost of Living Help campaign. Kael Tripton Ltd is an independent editorial publisher and is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This article was updated on 10 July 2026 to add newly confirmed bus-travel detail and correct the bus fare cap extension date from an earlier reported April 2027 to the confirmed March 2027. ICO registration ZC135439.
Frequently asked questions
When does Great British Summer Savings start?
The VAT cut took effect on 25 June 2026 and runs until 1 September 2026. Free bus travel for children runs separately, for the whole of August 2026 only.
How much is the VAT cut?
VAT on eligible children's activities is cut from 20% to 5%, with the saving applied automatically at the till.
What is covered?
Children's restaurant meals, children's tickets for cinemas, theatres, concerts and exhibitions, and admission to many attractions such as soft play, amusement parks, museums and zoos.
Do I need to do anything to get the discount?
No. Participating businesses apply the lower price automatically at the point of sale.
Is the free bus travel available everywhere?
No. Free August bus travel for children aged 5 to 15 applies to local bus services in England only, not London, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
SOURCES
- HM Treasury, Great British Summer Savings: VAT slashed to save families money on days out – accessed 10 July 2026
- Department for Transport, School's out: free bus travel for kids set to launch – accessed 10 July 2026
- Cost of Living Help, Summer Savings – accessed 10 July 2026
UPDATE: 27 JULY 2026 • HMRC BRIEF 5 (2026) DETAIL Adults qualify at attractions too. HMRC's brief applies the 5% rate to admission charges for any customer, regardless of age, at qualifying attractions: theme parks, water parks, zoos, aquariums, museums, heritage sites, botanical gardens, soft play centres and observation attractions. The relief at these venues is not limited to children's tickets. Family tickets qualify in full. A ticket held out for sale as a family admission that includes at least one child takes the 5% rate on the whole package, adult admissions included. Standalone adult tickets to cinemas, theatres and shows remain at 20%. Prepaid at 20%? Ask for the difference. Where customers paid in advance at the standard rate for visits falling between 25 June and 1 September 2026, HMRC states that businesses applying the reduced rate should adjust their VAT accounts and that the government expects prepaid customers to be refunded the additional VAT paid. Requests go to the venue with the booking reference and visit date. Takeaway is excluded. Children's meals qualify only when supplied for consumption on the premises by a restaurant, cafe or similar establishment. The same meal taken away stays at 20%, as do smaller portions of adult dishes and meals not held out on a children's menu. Source: HMRC Revenue and Customs Brief 5 (2026), reviewed 27 July 2026. The relief runs to 1 September 2026 inclusive; the rate follows the admission date, not the purchase date. |
