Following reports that the Government is set to divert £1.2m from the LIVE Trust into the Treasury, the industry has been more welcoming of the VAT rate reduction on children’s event tickets.

The Telegraph reported that the VAT charge on the LIVE Trust’s voluntary £1 levy on stadium and arena tickets will see £1.2m will end up in Treasury coffers. The Trust and its levy scheme was created to support grassroots festivals, venues, promoters and artists. It is set to raise more than £6 million.​

LIVE CEO Jon Collins said the money is being diverted away from the grassroots ecosystem it was built to support.​

With Harry Styles playing 12 nights at Wembley this summer, LIVE Trust estimates at least £200,000 from that run alone will be siphoned off in VAT.

Separately, the chancellor announced that as well as a cut in VAT on children’s tickets to theatres, cinemas, concerts, exhibitions and shows, it will also reduce the tax on all admission tickets to certain attractions suitable for families with children.

The tax rate will be slashed from 20% to 5% from 25 June 2026 to 1 September 2026. While the VAT reduction does not apply to admission to sports events, it will apply to the following:

  • cinemas, theatres, exhibition and performance venues
  • restaurants, cafés and similar catering establishments
  • operators of circuses, fairs, amusement parks, theme parks, adventure parks and water parks, zoos and other animal attractions, soft play centres, observation attractions and certain other family-focused attractions
  • museums and similar cultural attractions

LIVE counts the Association of Independent Festivals, Concert Promoters Association and National Arenas Association among its membership. Collins said, “Live music operators welcome this cut to VAT for children’s concert tickets over summer. We continue to engage closely with Government around the issue of VAT on tickets, and this decision is recognition that lower rates directly benefit fans and industry. Cutting VAT can be a catalyst for more shows and therefore increased economic activity in towns and cities across the UK.”

 

 

 

 

 

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