Kids can travel for free from TODAY under government scheme – here’s how

KIDS will be able to travel on buses for free throughout August to help families enjoy days out for a lower cost. Under a government initiative, most under-16s will be not be required to pay for travel on most local buses throughout August. This is aimed at easing cost-of-living pressures on families during the school summer holidays, the Department for Transport (DfT) said. The perk, which forms part of a wider government scheme, the Great British Summer Savings Scheme, should save £1-£2 per trip on average per child. Sign up for the Money newsletter Thank you! Children under five already travel for free on buses, meaning all children aged 15 or younger will not have to pay a fare throughout August. Through the government’s scheme, VAT has also been cut on items such as children’s meals at restaurants, children’s theatre and cinema tickets, and family attractions including theme parks and adventure centres. Several popular sites families can visit using free bus travel for kids include York Dungeon, Windsor Castle and the National Space Centre in Leicester It comes as the government announced it will reintroduce a £2 cap on bus fares for all passengers from the start of next year, down from the current cap of £3. Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said: “With free bus travel for five to 15-year-olds and discounts on kids’ meals at restaurants, cinema tickets and theme parks, we’re helping people make the most of the time they have together for the school holidays. “Not only are we lowering costs for the summer, the £2 bus fare cap will help all passengers get to where they need to for less.” Most read in Money How else to save money on days out this summer The government’s summer discount scheme is already in effect for meals and tickets for days out. You can currently get a 15% discount: Children’s menu meals served in restaurants Children’s and family tickets for cinemas, theatres, concerts, shows and exhibitions Tickets for both children and adults for: amusement parks, fairs, museums, zoos, soft play centres, circuses, adventure parks, nature reserves, wildlife parks and observation attractions The reduced prices are automatically applied at the checkout until September 1 this year. The Sun pulled together a full list of attractions and restaurants slashing their prices this summer including McDonalds’s, Legoland and Wetherspoons. For other days out, it’s worth searching online for discount codes or checking whether your supermarket loyalty scheme, phone provider or bank offers reduced-price tickets. Some cereal boxes, including by Kellogg’s, also regularly run two-for-one or free child entry deals to attractions like theme parks, so it’s worth bagging a box of cereal to save on entry fees. Booking anything online in advance is usually cheaper than paying the price at the gate, so plan your trips ahead of time. There are also plenty of attractions in the UK you can visit for free – for example, almost all the major museums in London are free entry for adults and children all year round. Councils and libraries also often put on free activity days such as craft sessions and cinema screenings during the summer. Comment now