Five things Rachel Reeves announced as VAT is cut for families

PoliticsBusiness & Finance
21 May 2026 • 11:45 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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Five things Rachel Reeves announced as VAT is cut for families

  1. Rachel Reeves has announced a cut in VAT for attractions such as theme parks, zoos and museums over the summer.
  2. The chancellor’s ‘Great British Summer Savings’ scheme also includes free bus travel for children in England during the school holidays in August.
  3. Reeves announced a £350 million critical chemicals resilience fund and a £120 million fund to help the ceramics sector as part of cost-of-living measures.
  4. She also announced a 10p per mile increase in tax-free mileage rates backdated to April 2026.
  5. Reeves suspended tariffs on over 100 different foods sold in supermarkets, which is thought to include staples such as baked beans and biscuits.

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