Households across the UK are being urged to take advantage of a Labour Government initiative that has saved families millions of pounds on summer activities before it is too late.
Britons have just days left to benefit from the Great British Summer Savings scheme, which slashes VAT on children’s restaurant meals and attraction tickets from 20 per cent to five per cent.
The initiative, which has been running since June 25, will come to an end at midnight on Tuesday September 1. Chancellor John Healey is encouraging households to make the most of the remaining bank holiday weekend to take advantage of the reduced rates.
Originally introduced by former Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the scheme covers a wide range of family activities, from dining out to visits to theatres and soft play centres.
The former Chancellor’s Summer Savings Scheme is coming to end
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It was designed to ease pressure on household budgets during the cost-of-living squeeze, making summer holiday outings more affordable.
More than 2,100 restaurants and attractions nationwide have participated, listed on a government deal finder website that was among the fastest digital tools ever created through a business-Government partnership.
The Chancellor visited Haven’s Kiln Park holiday park in Pembrokeshire yesterday, where the company revealed that its customers had collectively saved more than £4million as a direct consequence of the scheme.
Roughly 251,000 families benefited from the discounts at Haven parks across the country, with 39,000 of those in Wales alone. Haven’s chief executive Simon Palethorpe highlighted that over half a million children received activity vouchers through the programme.
The Great British Summer Savings Scheme is a Rachel Reeves-era policy
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PAChancellor John Healey hailed the scheme as a success
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PAParticipating businesses have ranged from Barleylands Farm Park in Essex to Playdale Farm Park in Scarborough, while Alexandra Palace offered reduced prices on activities such as pedalo rides on its boating lake and family meals.
Cinema chain ODEON, which signed up to the scheme at its June launch, reported that more than 1.2 million guests had taken advantage of cheaper tickets across its 100 UK venues.
The reduced rates coincided with a strong summer film lineup featuring titles such as Toy Story 5, Minions & Monsters and Moana.
Pub and restaurant group Greene King sold upwards of 1.1 million children’s meals during the scheme’s duration and welcomed over 80,000 visitors to its Wacky Warehouse soft play centres.
The UK has experienced multiple heatwaves this summer
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GETTYChancellor Healey said: “I want every family to get out and enjoy the bank holiday weekend by taking advantage of the final days of Great British Summer Savings.
“This Government is determined to give people a bit of breathing space. So families can afford the days out that make the summer holidays special. While giving our world-class attractions and businesses a welcome boost in trade.”
Merlin chief executive Fiona Eastwood said: “We were pleased to pass these savings on to our guests at Merlin’s UK attractions, making visits more accessible and helping even more families create lasting memories during the school holidays.”
ODEON’s Suzie Welch called it “fantastic” to have launched the scheme alongside former Prime Minister Keir Starmer and local schoolchildren at ODEON Milton Keynes on June 25.