The UK government's Great British summer savings scheme launches on Thursday, offering families reduced prices at attractions like Legoland, cinemas showing Toy Story 5, and restaurants including McDonald's and Nando's. Chancellor Rachel Reeves described the temporary VAT cut as a way to “support families with the little treats in life.”
How the VAT cut works
The VAT rate on selected family activities drops from 20% to 5% from June 25 (when Scottish schools break up) until September 1 (when schools return in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland). Businesses may choose to pass on the saving. The reduced rate applies to children's and family tickets for cinemas, theatres, concerts, shows, and exhibitions; admission tickets for attractions such as amusement parks, zoos, soft play centres, nature reserves, and wildlife parks; and children's meals in restaurants.
If companies pass on the full reduction, a family of two adults and two children could save £20 on a theme park visit, £17 on a wildlife park trip, £1.50 per children's cinema ticket, and £2 per children's meal, according to the government.
Participating attractions and cinemas
Major venues include Peppa Pig World, Alton Towers, and Legoland. Merlin Entertainments, which operates 20 sites including Alton Towers and Legoland, has adjusted ticket prices to reflect “summer VAT savings applied.” Advance tickets for both parks start at £29.75, down from £34. Longleat safari park in Wiltshire has also updated its pricing; a family of four can now buy advance tickets for £122.30, saving £17.50.
Cinema chains Odeon, Vue, and Cineworld are participating. Odeon says a family ticket (two adults and two children) will drop from £32 to £28.50 during the scheme.
Restaurant discounts
Greene King (over 2,500 outlets), McDonald's, Wetherspoons, and Nando's are among those passing on the tax saving on children's meals. Nando's “Nandino” meals fall from £6.95 to £6.08; Wetherspoons children's meals drop from £5.75 to £5.03. McDonald's is cutting the price of a typical Happy Meal by 27% to £2.99. The discount applies only to meals eaten in a restaurant or cafe, not takeaways. McDonald's has extended the Happy Meal discount to drive-thru and app orders, excluding home delivery.
There is no legal requirement for businesses to pass on the saving; some struggling hospitality firms may not or may only partially do so.
Eligibility and rules
The VAT discount applies if the dish is advertised and priced as a child's meal and eaten on premises. Meals sold as smaller portions or lower-calorie options do not qualify. If a children's meal includes a drink or multiple courses for a single price, the entire package is eligible. Meals containing alcohol are excluded.
Season tickets (e.g., Merlin passes starting at £139) are not included if they cost more than a standard single-entry ticket. For cinemas, theatres, and exhibitions, the reduced rate applies to children's tickets and only to adults 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. The government says it “would expect that where a customer has prepaid that they would be refunded for any additional VAT paid.” Longleat is automatically refunding the difference for customers who already booked. However, Hever Castle in Kent states 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.” Paul Kelly, chief executive of the British Association of Leisure Parks Piers and Attractions, said individual businesses may choose to issue refunds but it is not a requirement. “It may prove logistically difficult and a financial burden for some companies to issue individual refunds both in time and money, which was never the intention,” he added.
Additional savings
The scheme includes free travel on local bus services for children aged 5–15 in England during August. A family with two children making a weekly return trip at a £1.50 child fare could save £27. This does not apply in London (where free travel already exists) or in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, where transport is devolved.
Other money-saving tips include checking cereal packet offers, consulting National Rail's Days Out Guide for “2 for 1” deals when travelling by train, and taking advantage of Merlin Entertainments' “two parks for the price of one” offer.
