Remember Eat Out to Help Out? Here’s The New Great British Summer Savings Scheme

The UK Government has introduced the “Great British Summer Savings” scheme, a new initiative aimed at helping reduce the cost of summer days out during the 2026 school holidays. 

Running from 25 June to 1 September, the scheme reduces VAT on selected leisure activities and children’s meals from 20% to 5%. The idea is simple: make family activities slightly more affordable during one of the most expensive times of the year. 

While it is not quite another “Eat Out to Help Out”, the concept is similar. Smaller discounts applied across everyday spending to help people save money over the summer. 

What’s included? 

Where the scheme is applied, you may see reduced pricing on: 

• Theme parks 

• Zoos and wildlife attractions 

• Cinemas 

• Museums 

• Soft play centres 

• Selected restaurants and children’s meals 

• Other family focused attractions 

Children aged 5 to 15 across England will also get free local bus travel from 1 August to 31 August, helping families reduce transport costs during the school holidays. 

For families planning multiple days out over the summer, those smaller savings could start to add up. 

Who can access it? 

This is not something you apply for or sign up to. Anyone can benefit where qualifying attractions, venues or providers are included. 

It applies when you buy eligible tickets, meals or activities. 

While the VAT reduction applies to qualifying suppliers, businesses decide whether to pass the full saving on to customers through lower prices. 

So, in short, the scheme is available broadly, but the level of savings may vary depending on where you go. Families are likely to see the biggest impact due to the types of activities covered. 

Which brands are involved? 

There is currently not a fixed list of participating brands or attractions. 

Whether a business is included depends on whether they choose to pass on the VAT reduction, meaning savings may vary depending on where you go. 

Some businesses may advertise the discount clearly, while others may simply reduce prices slightly during the scheme period. 

If you are planning a trip or activity, it is worth checking ahead of time to see whether the venue is taking part. 

What does this mean in practice? 

For most people, the savings probably will not come through one huge discount. 

Instead, it is more likely to show up through slightly cheaper tickets, lower food costs or reduced prices across several smaller purchases throughout the summer. 

That means the overall impact depends on how many activities you do, where you go and how much you would usually spend during the holidays. 

The takeaway 

This scheme is less about one headline saving and more about making everyday summer spending feel a little more manageable. 

If you are already planning family days out this summer, it may be worth checking whether your chosen attractions or restaurants are taking part before booking.