Portsmouth South’s Stephen Morgan MP has welcomed plans announced today in the House of Commons by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves MP, to support families and local people with the cost of living.
Among the bold package of measures to ease the pressure on household budgets, ‘Great British Summer Savings’ is intended to bring down costs for families spending time together over the summer period.
This will see the Government cutting VAT to 5% on children’s menu meals, children’s tickets for cinemas, theatres and concerts from 25th June to 1st September. Additionally, kids from 5 to 15 years old will get free bus travel in England this August.
As a result of these plans, adults and children will also be able to enjoy amusement parks, wildlife parks, museums, soft play centres and a wide range of other attractions for less.
Alongside this, the Chancellor announced a 10p per mile increase in tax free mileage rates, backdated to April 2026, along with an extension of the 5p cut on fuel duty to the end of the year to support local people.
These announcements follow strong figures reported earlier this week which show that the UK is the fastest growing economy in the G7 so far this year, with growth up to 0.6% for the first three months of this year and beating forecasts in March despite the Iran War.
Welcoming the news from the Chancellor, Stephen Morgan, MP for Portsmouth South, said:
“In recent years, life has been tougher than it needs to be for people across the UK, including here in our city. Great British Summer Savings will make a major difference to local families, bringing down the cost of spending time together over this summer.
“I know what matters for Portsmouth families is not just getting by but being able to enjoy time together without worrying about the next bill. When budgets tighten life’s little treats can fall by the wayside, a meal out, a family holiday or a day trip making memories with your kids.
“As a result of these plans, adults and children on our city will also be able to enjoy amusement parks, wildlife parks, museums, soft play centres and a wide range of other attractions for less.
“I know that this will make a major difference to households and local people and are a boost for Portsmouth families, but my work on the cost of living is not done. That’s why I will continue to listen to views and ideas and take action for local people on the pressures they face”.
Other measures already announced by the Government to support Portsmouth people include:
- Up to £150 off energy bills
- Freezes to rail fares and
- Freezes to prescription charges
- Increases to the National Minimum Wage and State Pension
- More money in parent’s pockets with free breakfast clubs and 30 hours of government funded childcare saving parents thousands each year.
Today’s proposals in detail
Great British Summer Savings
- We recognise that what matters for families is not just getting by, but being able to enjoy time together without worrying about the next bill.
- When budgets tighten life’s little treats can fall by the wayside – a meal out, a family holiday or a day trip making memories with your kids.
- Today the Chancellor has announced Great British Summer Savings – cutting VAT to 5% on children’s menu meals, children’s tickets for cinemas, theatres and concerts from 25th June to 1st September.
- Adults and children can also enjoy amusement parks, wildlife parks, museums, soft play centres and a wide range of other attractions for less.
- Kids from 5 to 15 years old will get free bus travel in England this August, making it more affordable for people to get out and about.
- We are able to provide this support because the Chancellor’s decisions have put us in a stronger economic position, as the fastest growing economy in the G7 with inflation falling.
Support for motorists
- Thanks to the decisions of this government, fuel duty is as low now as it has been at any point for over 16 years and is substantially lower in real terms.
- The Chancellor has announced the 5p cut on fuel duty will be extended for the rest of the year. By the end of this year the cut will have saved the average driver £120 compared to the plans inherited by the Tories.
- The conflict has also pushed up costs for hauliers who keep Britain’s shelves stocked and its economy moving. The Chancellor is giving them a 12-month road tax holiday – meaning they will pay £1 at renewal, saving £600 for a typical heavy lorry and £912 for the biggest vehicles on the road.
- Farmers, rail freight, and other red diesel users will also see their fuel duty cut by over a third until the end of the year. This is the lowest rate in over 20 years, helping to keep the cost of doing business down.
- And the Chancellor has today announced a 10p per mile increase in tax free mileage rates, backdated to April 2026; benefiting those who need to drive work, from care workers to plumbers.
Children’s bus travel
- Free bus travel for children will run from 1 to 31 August and covers participating local bus services across England. This could save a family with two children who make a weekly return trip at a £1.50 child fare £27 in August. Every child aged five to 15 in England will travel free on participating local buses throughout August – with unlimited journeys, no registration required, and at no cost to families.
- The Chancellor is committing more than £100 million to fund the free fares scheme. This funding also includes support for bus services that have experienced increased costs, recognising the vital service they provide particularly for school children, pensioners and those living in rural communities. The Government will work with the sector to decide how this support can be allocated with the greatest impact.
- As with the £3 bus fare cap, bus operators participate in the scheme voluntarily, so the total number of routes and operators covered will be determined in due course. We expect the majority of services to be covered by the scheme. The funding is available for every operator that wants to sign up to the scheme.
