# Regional mayors gain power to impose uncapped visitor levy on holidays

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/burnhams-holiday-tax-to-hammer-families-on-staycations-pm-is-accused-of-launching-fresh-raid-on-struggling-brits-with-unlimited-visitor-levy/
- Published: 2026-09-10T22:13:16+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-10T22:25:14+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16122075/Burnhams-holiday-tax-hammer-families-staycations-PM-accused-launching-fresh-raid-struggling-Brits-unlimited-visitor-levy.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Culture, Government, Politics, Travel, UK, World

## Key points

- Mayors given power to charge uncapped visitor levy on UK stays from 2028
- Critics warn of £1.6bn cost to holidaymakers and 33,000 job losses
- Business groups call the uncapped, percentage-based tax "hugely damaging"

## Summary

Andy Burnham, in his role overseeing devolution policy for the Government, has approved plans allowing England's regional mayors to impose an uncapped "overnight visitor levy" on hotel, B&B and holiday let stays, prompting accusations from the Conservatives and business groups that ministers are burdening struggling families with another tax rise. Critics argue the levy, expected to be set at around 5 per cent in Labour-run areas, will inflate the cost of UK staycations and damage the hospitality sector, which they say has already been hit hard by rises in business rates and employment costs.

The tax will apply as a percentage of accommodation charges rather than a flat fee, meaning a family paying £2,000 for a stay could face an extra £100. Oxford Economics figures cited by UK Hospitality suggest that by 2030 the levy could cost the Treasury £688 million in lost tax receipts, cut hospitality investment by £101 million, reduce overnight stays by 11.9 million and cost 33,000 jobs, amid an overall £1.8 billion fall in tourism spending. England's 14 regional mayors will gain the power to introduce the levy from 2028, with areas such as the Cotswolds set to follow after local government reorganisation; similar levies already exist in Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Cardiff, while trade bodies including ABTA, UK Hospitality and Whitbread have condemned the uncapped English scheme as damaging to competitiveness.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.