New visitor levy powers to put money back into local communities
What was announced
Visitor Levy Bill introduced in Parliament, letting local leaders raise and reinvest money in much loved high streets, public spaces and tourist attractions
Key points, in the publisher's words
- Local leaders are a step closer to getting new powers to invest more in high streets, cultural sites and other attractions that make communities great places to live, work and visit.
- This Visitor Levy Bill, introduced in the House of Commons today, marks the most significant step in making fiscal devolution a reality, giving mayors and leaders who know their areas best the ability to introduce a small fee on overnight stays. Money raised through the levy will stay in the local area, giving communities investment in the places and services used by visitors and residents.
- Mayors who choose to introduce a levy will be able to invest in what makes their regions special and improve the visitor experience from better high streets to public spaces – including public toilets and parks, cultural events and security and destination promotion. Money raised from visitors will stay in the area, helping attract more visitors, support local businesses and improve places for the people who live there too.
Figures in this announcement
Each line is quoted from the original. Figures are as the publisher stated them on the day.
- “Ten mayors have also committed that any levy introduced in their areas would be no higher than 5%, providing certainty for visitors and businesses while preserving local choice.”
- “There’s something for everyone, and we welcome more than 40 million visitors every year.”
- “Our visitor economy is already worth more than £6.8bn a year and supports more than 55,000 jobs across the Liverpool City Region.”
- “A modest levy on overnight stays could potentially raise up to £18m a year – money that would stay here and be reinvested directly into the events, culture, experiences and infrastructure that bring millions of visitors to our region.”
- “More than 100 million people come to the West Midlands every year to enjoy our rich heritage, exciting entertainment venues and world-class sport and cultural events, and that supports 150,000 local jobs.”
- “Elaine Bedell OBE, CEO of the Southbank Centre, said: At the Southbank Centre, we welcome over 11.6 million visitors a year and we’re in the top 6 visitor attractions in the UK.”
Who and where
People
- Angela Rayner (MP for Ashton-under-Lyne (Labour)) · more news
UK bodies of power
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (UK government department) · more news
- House of Commons (UK national body) · more news
Constituencies of the MPs named: Ashton Under Lyne.
Where this sits in the 10 levels of power
Topics, as GOV.UK files them: Housing, local and community, Devolution.
Receipt
- Original: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-visitor-levy-powers-to-put-money-back-into-local-communities
- Published 2026-11-04 13:23:26 UTC
- Read by this site 2026-11-04 13:45:08 UTC from GOV.UK
- Saved copy: receipt 8002, with its SHA-256 fingerprint
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Related official news
- New Chair appointed of the Leasehold Advisory Service
- National Housing Bank invests up to £70 million in Fiera Real Estate and Packaged Living
- Faster planning decisions as new rules and AI tackle delays
- Local government reorganisation: review update letters to council leaders
- Local government reorganisation: minded to decision letters to council leaders
- Local Government Reorganisation moves forward in five counties
- Council tax information letter 6/2026: Household Energy Payment 2027
- Budget 2026 Fact Sheet: Delivering for Every Region
More from GOV.UK
- DCMS letters to Sky and ITV plc regarding decision to refer to Phase 1
- Energy reforms to cut bills and put power back in people's hands
- DfE Update 4 November 2026
- New Chair appointed to the National Savings and Investments Board
- Lost stone rises up in Dorset's Valley of Stones Nature Reserve
- Recovery of £59,000 for five IT Agency Workers
Also announced on 4 November 2026
- ‘The world is not ready’: Climate adaptation cash falls far short as warming heads past 1.5°C
- Health Minister calls on NHS leaders to improve services
- Community surveys contribute to behaviour change in response to Bundibugyo virus disease
- Addressing Sixth Committee, International Court of Justice President Highlights Importance of State Engagement
- Fourth Committee Spotlights Danger to Media, Disinformation in Conflict Zones, Lauding UN Global Communications for Persistent Coverage of Atrocities
- ECB wage tracker suggests slightly higher wage growth in first three quarters of 2027 compared with the full year of 2026