Family days out could cost less this summer

Big summer savings news for families 👀

The government has announced a temporary VAT reduction on selected children’s meals, children’s tickets and family attractions this summer — which could make some of your favourite family plans more affordable during the school holidays.

And when you combine that with a Kids Pass membership, families could make those summer savings go even further across days out, cinema, dining, holidays and more.

Here’s what the change means, what kinds of activities it could apply to, and how to make the most of it with Kids Pass.

What’s actually changing?

The temporary VAT reduction is expected to apply from 25th June 2026 to 1st September 2026 inclusive, covering selected supplies aimed at helping families with children during the summer holidays.

In simple terms, it could apply to:

• certain children’s meals
• children’s cinema, theatre and show tickets
• admission to certain family-friendly attractions

That means some family favourites could become even better value this summer — especially where venues choose to reflect the lower VAT rate in their pricing.

Which types of family attractions could be included?

According to the government brief, the temporary reduced VAT rate could cover admission to a wide range of family-friendly attractions.

That includes places such as:

• theme parks
• water parks
• zoos and wildlife parks
• aquariums
• soft play centres
• indoor play venues
• adventure parks
• museums and similar cultural attractions
• observation attractions

So if you’re planning a packed summer of family fun, this could be very welcome news.

Children’s meals could also be included

The VAT reduction is also expected to cover certain children’s meals — specifically those sold and presented as children’s meals by restaurants, cafés and similar venues for eating on the premises.

So whether you’re out for lunch during a day trip or stopping for a bite after the cinema, there may be extra opportunities to save this summer.

That’s especially useful for families, because it’s often the total cost of the day — tickets, meals, snacks and extras — that adds up quickest.

Cinema trips could feel even better value

Another big area families will care about is children’s cinema tickets.

If you’ve got a big summer film watchlist lined up, this could help make movie days out more affordable — and that’s before you even factor in the everyday value that Kids Pass members can unlock across family entertainment.

Cinema remains one of the easiest and most popular school holiday treats, so this is one of the clearest examples of where families may feel the benefit.

A quick note: not everything will automatically be cheaper

It’s important to be clear: this does not necessarily mean every attraction, every meal or every ticket will instantly show a lower price.

The government guidance makes clear that eligibility depends on the type of supply, how it is marketed and sold, and whether it falls within scope. Some items also remain outside the relief altogether.

For example, the reduced rate is expected to apply to certain children’s meals for dining in, but not takeaway meals. It also does not apply to sport or participation in sport.

So the smartest approach for families is simple: check before you book.

Why this matters even more with Kids Pass

This is exactly where Kids Pass comes into its own.

Even where summer pricing changes vary by venue, Kids Pass helps families find value all year round across:

• theme parks
• cinema
• zoos and aquariums
• indoor and outdoor attractions
• dining
• family holidays
• and so much more

So while the VAT change could help lower the cost of selected family activities this summer, Kids Pass helps you go one step further — finding extra value across the plans you’re already making.

How to make the most of it this summer

If you’re already planning your summer holidays, here’s the best way to stay ahead:

1. Check Kids Pass first

Before booking a family day out, cinema trip or meal stop, check what savings are already available through Kids Pass.

2. Keep an eye on attraction pricing

As venues update their pricing and summer offers, there may be fresh opportunities to save.

3. Plan by category

Think beyond one-off big days out — summer savings can come from a mix of cinema trips, attractions, dining stops and local activities.

4. Stack value across the whole day

The biggest wins often come from combining savings — for example, discounted tickets plus dining savings plus another nearby activity.

Not a member yet? This is a great time to join

With the summer holidays around the corner, there’s never been a better time to get organised and start planning affordable family fun.

A Kids Pass membership helps families unlock savings on 1,000s of offers across the UK, including days out, cinema, dining, holidays and more.

So if family days out could cost less this summer anyway, Kids Pass can help make those savings go even further.

Start your £1 trial today and see what you could save this summer.