LONDON, May 20 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:
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Free bustravel for childrenthroughout August, helping families across England get out and explore
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Comes as products including biscuits, chocolate, driedfruitand nutsset to seetargeted cuts to agri-food tariffs,to help to reduce pressure on food prices.
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Move is latest ingovernmentdriveto support families and help ease pressures on household budgets.
Familiestravellingthis summerwillbenefitfrom freebustravel forchildrenas theChancellorramps up efforts to help with the cost of living.
TheChancellor is committingmore than£100milliontofund the free fares schemeand alsocontinuing to support bus services.Every child aged five to 15 in England will travel free onparticipatinglocal buses throughout August -with unlimitedjourneys, no registrationrequired,andat no cost to families.
It is part of a scheme called 'Great British Summer Savings'.The Chancellor will set out more details today on how the Government will support families and businesses this summer.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
We know manyhard‑workingfamilies are still feeling the squeeze and too often think they have to hold back.
By giving every child free bus travel throughout August and cutting tariffs on everyday food items, we're putting money back into people's pockets and making life that bit easier.
This government is focused on practical steps that help right now - easing pressure on household budgets, supporting parents during the school holidays, and backing British businesses.
It comes as the government prioritises protecting households and businesses from rising costs, and the announcements today will build on the work to cut energy bills, protectmotoristsand crack down on unfair profiteering.
This month the government has delivered £117off energy bills on average, increased the minimum wage again and frozen rail fares and prescription charges, thanks to the choices the Chancellor made at the Autumn Budget.
As the war in Iran puts pressure on prices at home, the government has stepped in with a tax cut for hauliers to keep our shelves stocked and economy moving, extended the 5p fuel duty freeze to protect motorists at the pump, and emergency relief for families in rural communities who have been hit by a sharp increase in the price of heating oil.
The Chancellor will say that in an era of global conflict, this government has the right economic plan, as economic indicators showed the UK beating the forecasts again this week. The UK was the fastest-growing economy in the G7 at the start of this year, and Monday the IMF upgraded our growth forecast for 2026. Yesterday we saw inflation falling faster than expected, thanks to the action taken at the budget to keep energy prices down.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:
My number one priority is protecting households from rising costs. This summer I want every family to be able to enjoy themselves,that'swhywe'relaunching the Great British Summer Savings Scheme, and whywe'rehelping kids with free bus travel throughout August.
As the war in Iran pushes prices up at home, my economic plan is the right one. I will continue to make the right choices, to protect households and businesses, and build a stronger and more secure Britain.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:
Free bus travel for every child in August means parents can plan days out, visit loved ones and make the most of the holidays without the added financial pressure.
We've already seen what's possible - in the West of England, the Mayor's free travel scheme is making a real difference, particularly for young people in the most deprived communities.That'sexactly the kind of impact we want to deliver for families right across England this summer.
This builds on the work we're already doing to make buses better for everyone -from the £3 bus fare cap and the landmark Bus Services Act,to our £3 billion investment in local services and frozen rail fares for the first time in 30 years. We're making sure public transport works for people, not against them.
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.
It comes following a successful pilot ran last summer by the Mayor for the West of England, Helen Godwin.
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said:
Kids Go Free in the West of England has seen around 1.4 million free journeys over the summer, Christmas, and Easter holidays since my election last year.It'sbrilliant that, after we have invested devolved funding to make a difference that people across the West can see and feel, the government is rolling out Kids Go Free nationally this August!
There's been a huge increase in public transport use through our offer already, including children and families travelling on our new green buses. Bus travel from our lowest income areas doubled year-on-year last summer, with kids able to just hop on board and no registration needed. I'm so excited to see Kids Go Free return again for the school summer holidays - helping more children and young people to explore the best of what the West has to offer.
Thisfunding alsoincludessupportforbus 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 todecidehow this support can beallocatedwith the greatest impact.
Separately, as part of wider efforts to reduce pressure on prices, the Government is launching a business engagement exercise, with a view to making further targeted cuts to agri-food tariffs, suspending tariffs onover 100 types of products including biscuits, chocolate and dried fruit and nuts.
The expected benefit to consumers is more than £150 million a year. The full list of products will be published next week, with business engagement commencing next week. As perpreviouscommitments, the list takes account of domestic production and food security and does not include any significant UK primary agriculture production. This is on top of the expected consumer benefits from agri-food tariff suspensions, announced at the end of April, of around £100 million to £400 million each year.
Today's announcementsbuild on action the government has already taken to reduce the cost of living, including cutting energy bills, freezing prescription charges, protecting motorists from fuel duty increases and raising the minimum wage. Yesterday (May 20) the Government announcedextending the 5p fuel duty cut until end of year.
Michelle Ovens, CBE, CEO & Founder of Small Business Britain, said:
It'sfantastic to see the Chancellor's commitment toadditionalfunds for the free fares scheme. Giving children across the country the opportunity to travel freely during the summer holidays is vital in broadening aspirations, building life experiences, and encouraging young people to envision a future without boundaries.
Ben Plowden, Chief Executive of Campaign for Better Transport, said:
This is a welcome move to help more families to getout and aboutby bus this summer and highlights the importance of affordable public transport in easing cost-of-living pressures on hard-pressed households. Investing in affordable, reliable bus services is one of the most cost-effective ways of improving people's quality of life and tackling rising energy costs year-round.
Lydia Horbury, CEO of passenger champions Bus Users UK said:
Making bus travel free for children throughout August is a hugely welcome step that will help families, encourage greater use of publictransportand give young people more independence and opportunity over the summer holidays.
For many households, even small savings can make a real difference, and this initiative removes both cost and complexity by making travel simpler and more accessible. It is also a wonderful opportunity for more families to experience the convenience and value of local bus services first hand.
We hope this not only supports communities over the summer but also inspires lasting confidence in public transport and encourages the next generation to see buses as an easy and sustainable way to travel.
Jason Prince, Director of the Urban Transport Group,said:
Buses are the most used form of public transport, essential in connecting people to opportunities.
Building on the successful fares offers of many of our member transport authorities, Kids Go Free is a welcome and timely intervention - helping to make public transport more affordable over the summerholidays, andsupporting families and young people to get to where they want to go.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
