Skip to main content

How to manage the temporary VAT reduction in Bookwhen

Learn how to apply changes linked to the Great British Summer Savings campaign

Written by Anni

If you choose to pass on the temporary VAT reduction introduced under the Great British Summer Savings campaign, there are several ways to manage this in Bookwhen. The best approach depends on how your pricing is set up and how VAT is currently applied to your events.

This article explains how to manage the temporary VAT reduction in Bookwhen based on your pricing and VAT setup.

💡 Important

  • Bookwhen does not automatically apply temporary VAT rate changes. This article explains the options available and is not tax, legal, or financial advice.

  • VAT treatment depends on your business and circumstances. Please check with a qualified accountant, tax adviser, or HMRC before making any changes to pricing or VAT settings.

Before you start

The temporary VAT reduction applies only to certain eligible children’s and family activities taking place between 25th June and 1st September 2026. This may include:

Children’s meals

  • Meals ordered from a children’s menu

  • Meals eaten on the premises (not takeaway)

Children’s tickets and family tickets

For activities such as:

  • Cinema screenings

  • Theatre performances

  • Concerts

  • Shows

  • Exhibitions

This may include children’s tickets or family tickets only. Adult-only tickets and standard adult group tickets are not included.

Family attractions

Admissions to attractions such as:

  • Theme parks and amusement parks

  • Zoos and wildlife parks

  • Soft play centres

  • Museums and heritage sites

  • Adventure parks

  • Similar family-focused attractions

This can be either child, family, or adult tickets.

What is not included

The temporary VAT reduction does not apply to:

  • Sporting activities such as swimming lessons and sports clubs

  • Takeaway food, including children’s meals taken away

  • Add-ons sold separately, such as merchandise, parking, photo packages, or vouchers

  • Season passes that extend beyond 1 September 2026

  • Adult-only cinema, theatre, or entertainment tickets

  • Activities not clearly marketed as children’s or family experiences

  • Memberships, particularly sports-based memberships

For more information, please refer to the UK Government’s Great British Summer Savings fact sheet.

Ways to apply the VAT saving in Bookwhen

You can choose the option that works best for you, your business, and your customers:

  1. Reduce ticket prices

  2. Use a discount code

  3. Issue partial refunds

Option 1: Reduce ticket prices

You can reduce the price of eligible tickets for events taking place between 25th June and 1st September 2026.

💡 Learn how to create time-restricted tickets in our help article on Changing prices.

Things to consider ⬇️

Changing a general ticket price updates every date and time linked to that ticket.

If your entry includes dates both inside and outside the qualifying period, you may need to:

  • Create separate entries, or

  • Use different tickets for eligible and non-eligible dates

This is especially important for recurring schedules that run beyond 1 September 2026, as pricing applies across the full entry. If you run a recurring schedule (e.g. April–October), you may need to split the entry so only eligible dates between 25th June and 1st September 2026 are affected.

Option 2: Use a discount code

Instead of changing ticket prices, you can create a discount code for eligible bookings. This keeps your standard ticket prices in place and applies the saving only where needed.

This approach can also help if your recurring schedule includes dates both inside and outside the qualifying period, as it avoids the need to split entries.

To set this up, follow our guide on creating discount codes.

Things to consider ⬇️

When using discount codes, you may need to decide:

  • Which events the discount applies to

  • The discount amount

  • How customers receive the code

  • When the code starts and ends

💡 To note: If you use Bookwhen’s tax feature, invoices will continue to use the tax settings configured in your account, even when a discount is applied.

Option 3: Issue partial refunds

You may choose to keep your existing prices and refund the difference after purchase.

This option is managed outside Bookwhen, and refunds need to be calculated manually and processed through your payment provider (e.g., Stripe) or an offline method (e.g., cash or bank transfer).

This may be useful if:

  • The reduction only applies to specific bookings

  • You do not want to change ticket prices or create discounts

  • You want to apply adjustments on a case-by-case basis

💡 Learn how to process refunds.

If you use Bookwhen’s tax settings

As mentioned, Bookwhen’s tax settings are set at account-level. Because of this, it is not currently possible to apply a temporary VAT rate to selected events or bookings.

If you are using our tax feature and adjust pricing or apply discounts, there are a few important differences to be aware of:

  • The booking value reflects the updated price

  • Booking confirmations continue to show your account’s tax rate

  • Bookings and reports continue to reflect your current tax settings

    • Please ensure you take this into account when reviewing or reconciling figures during the temporary VAT reduction period.

💡 Tip: Add a notice on your public booking page if you are passing on the VAT saving. This helps customers understand how pricing is being handled.

Passes, vouchers, and memberships

Vouchers

Voucher sales are not affected by the temporary VAT reduction. If a voucher is redeemed for an eligible event between 25 June - 1st September 2026, you can apply a discount code to the event reflect the VAT saving if needed.

Passes

Pass eligibility depends on how the pass is set up and which events it can be used for.

  • If a pass is only valid for eligible events taking place between 25th June and 1st September 2026, you may choose to adjust the pass price or apply a pass discount.

  • If the pass extends beyond 1st September 2026, it may not qualify for the temporary reduction.

We recommend confirming VAT treatment with your accountant or tax adviser before making changes.

Memberships

Many memberships, particularly sports-based memberships, will not qualify for the reduction. If you choose to offer a goodwill adjustment, this would usually be handled outside Bookwhen through your payment provider.

Things to consider

Before making changes, it may help to review:

  • Whether your activities meet the eligibility criteria

  • How changes affect recurring schedules that span the qualifying period

  • Whether you need separate entries for different date ranges

  • How pricing changes will appear across tickets, invoices, and confirmations

  • How customers will be informed about any changes

  • What happens after 1 September 2026 when standard VAT rules resume

Disclaimer

This article is for general information only.

Bookwhen does not provide tax, legal, or financial advice. VAT treatment depends on your business and the activities you offer.

Always check with a qualified accountant, tax adviser, or HMRC before making pricing or VAT decisions.

Return to the top ⬆️

Related Articles
EU MOSS and VAT for your Bookwhen subscription
Adding tax
Choosing a Bookwhen plan
How to import Stripe members
Eligibility criteria for Bookwhen’s non-profit and charity discount
Did this answer your question?