Disability discounts for days out and travel
There may be discounts available to you for attractions, activities and travel, such as:
- cinemas, theatres and galleries
- events and concerts
- historic buildings and gardens
- theme parks and zoos
- train and bus travel
These discounts could include:
- money off the price of tickets for you
- free or discounted companion tickets for your PA or friend
Memberships
Attractions and venues like historic buildings, museums and zoos offer different types of membership which you can usually pay monthly or annually.
Depending on the attraction or venue, membership may give you:
- unlimited access so you can visit any time
- a certain number of entry days each month or year
- discounts at gift shops, cafes, restaurants and canteens
Membership options can include:
- family membership
- concessionary membership for disabled or older people
- joint membership for 2 adults
- young person or junior membership
Free or discounted companion tickets
Your PA, carer or friend could get a free or discounted ticket to go with you. This is sometimes called a companion ticket.
Companion tickets are often available at:
- music and performance venues
- theatres and cinemas
- paid shows at museums and galleries
- sport clubs
How to book access theatre tickets (Life of Pippa blog)
You can also get a companion ticket through organisations like:
- National Trust and English Heritage for historic buildings and gardens in the UK
- Cadw for historic buildings and gardens in Wales
- the UK Cinema Association for cinema visits
- Merlin entertainment for UK attractions
When booking access or companion tickets, you might be asked for proof that you’re disabled. They could ask when booking the tickets or when you arrive.
Each venue will say what proof they need. Proof of disability could be:
- your Blue Badge
- a disability benefit letter
- a signed medical letter from your consultant or GP
- certification of visual impairment
- an Access Card which you can buy to show your access needs
If you're sending proof, make sure this is a copy and not the original document.
Discount passes and deals
You may be able to get passes and discounts that are not disability specific. Some attractions and activities have deals such as:
- 2 for the price of 1
- kids go free
For children and family days out, you could try:
- Kids Pass for savings on theme parks, zoos and activities
- The Max Card for family days out with disabled children
- Blue Light Card provides those in the NHS, emergency services, social care sector and armed forces with discounts online and in-store.
Look out for discounts and deals in newspapers, magazines and on things you buy. You could also search for deals on:
Discounted travel
You can get discounted or free travel in England and Wales, including:
- a third off rail fares for you and another person with a Disabled Persons Railcard
- free or discounted bus travel in England with a disabled person’s bus pass
- free travel if you live in London with a Freedom Pass
- free and discounted train and bus travel in parts of Wales with a Concessionary Travel Card
- discounted toll charges at some bridges, crossings and tunnels (GOV.UK)
- discounted travel with Isle of Wight ferries
- 2 for 1 entry to UK attractions when you travel by train with National Rail
You could also ask individual travel providers if they offer discounts, free travel and companion tickets.
Sometimes transport is cheaper when you travel at off-peak times or use SplitSave to split tickets during your journey.
If you’re charged more for access
Services, buildings and public transport should be accessible to everyone under the Equality Act 2010. If they are not accessible for your specific needs, you can ask for a ‘reasonable adjustment’. Adjustments can include:
- accessible seating
- bringing a friend or PA with you
- audio description or subtitles
Asking for reasonable adjustments
You should not pay more for things like accessible seating or bringing someone with you.
If you think you are paying more, contact the venue or company about this before buying a ticket. You could do this by phone, email or through social media.
If the attraction or event might sell out, contact their customer service team as soon as possible after buying the ticket.
If they cannot help or give you an answer, ask for their complaints procedure. You’ll need to follow it to the end before you can take any legal action for discrimination.
Disability discrimination by private and public service providers
Last reviewed by Scope on: 10/10/2023
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