Following the UK Government’s announcement on 21 May regarding the temporary reduction in VAT for certain children’s meals, tickets and family attractions, many operators are now reviewing how this should be implemented operationally across ticketing and commerce systems.
For Merac customers, the update may require changes to VAT rates, price records and e-commerce templates depending on which products are affected and how your organisation chooses to apply the reduction.
The temporary VAT reduction applies to eligible products sold for visits between 24 June and 1 September 2026. As outlined by the Government guidance, operators should carefully review whether products meet the qualifying criteria before making any system changes.
Within Merac, the process involves:
As every organisation’s pricing structure and financial processes differ, Merac cannot advise on tax compliance or interpretation of HMRC regulations. We strongly recommend seeking independent qualified advice if you are unsure how the temporary changes apply to your business.
To support customers, we have produced a detailed step-by-step implementation guide covering:
Please contact the team if you wish to access the guide: support@merac.co.uk
You can also read the full Government guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/revenue-and-customs-brief-5-2026-temporary-reduced-rate-of-vat-for-childrens-meals-tickets-and-family-attractions/temporary-reduced-rate-of-vat-for-childrens-meals-tickets-and-family-attractions