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FAMILIES are facing a whopping £1.6billion tax blow on the “great British holiday”, a new report has warned.

The findings from industry body UKHospitailty, with figures crunched by Oxford Economics, show that a proposal to slap a five per cent levy on accommodation could “decimate” the industry.

It comes as Labour Government has been proposing to allow local authorities the right to tax overnight stays in holiday parks, campsites, B&Bs and hotels as part of a new holiday tax.

UK Hospitality claim the proposed levy would slash GDP – a benchmark for the country’s economic health – by £2.2billion.

It also warned it would result in a £1.8billion reduction in hospitality spending.

The group also claimed that it would lead to the loss of 33,000 job roles in areas of the UK where there are few alternative employment opportunities.

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‘Demoralising’ holiday tax will hit family breaks in the UK, warns Labour MP

Allen Simpson, chief Executive of UKHospitality, said the tax would make staycations “more expensive and decimate tourism.”

“There are no winners from a holiday tax. From coastal communities and city centres to local guesthouses, pubs and taxi firms, the impacts are stark and indiscriminate.

He added: “Taxes up, jobs lost and our high streets hit once again. Holidays are for relaxing, not taxing. The government should keep it that way and stop the holiday tax.”

The charge, which could be applied to hotels, Airbnb-style accommodation and short lets, could amount to a whopping £1.6billion holiday tax on tourists by 2030, according to the figures

Meanwhile, Simon Palethorpe, chief of Haven, said it would mean fewer UK holidays resulting in “less investment and fewer jobs, often in areas where there are few alternative employment opportunities”.

He added: “In the UK, visitors are already paying double the VAT rate of the most popular overseas holiday hotspots. The UK is a great place to visit and we should be encouraging people to do so, not adding extra taxes.”

The government launched a consultation on the tax, with final views submitted last month.

Other measures that also could be introduced include a £2 tax per person per night on staycations.

However, it is worth noting that it will be up to individual mayors to decide whether or not to propose a charge for visitors to their towns or cities.

Government has previously said the charge will help improve local tourism infrastructure, public services.

But it has faced major pushback, with a Labour MP warning last week it will hit family breaks in the UK.

Emma Lewell wrote to Chancellor Rachel Reeves raising “serious” concerns about the proposals.

The South Shields MP said: “When households are already under pressure with the cost of living rises, this is demoralising and unaffordable.

“Families need a break. Taxing their break is a step too far.”

Major firms including Butlin’s, Hilton and Travelodge have responded to the proposals.

They say the plans would drain cash from local businesses and make the UK less competitive.

A Government spokesperson previously said it expect any new charges to be modest, and for mayors to consider the “right level for their area.”

The Sun has launched a campaign to show how the tax could affect YOU, to show your support go to our website at StopTheHolidayTax.uk.

Harvey Hind from Lancashire stars in EastEnders playing Arlo, a preschool boy who is registered blind, as his mum says she hopes it shows disabled children they can achieve anything

A mother has expressed her hope that her five year old deafblind son will “break down barriers” for disabled children following his appearance in an episode of EastEnders.

Harvey Hind, from Clitheroe, Lancashire, made his acting debut during Wednesday’s episode of the BBC One soap, portraying Arlo, a preschool boy who is registered blind.

His mother Kimberly said: “I hope Harvey featuring in EastEnders shows other disabled children, especially those who are deafblind, that they can achieve anything.” She added: “Harvey loves being in the spotlight but for us the most important thing will always be raising awareness and breaking down barriers so every disabled child gets the same opportunities as anyone else.

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“Harvey did amazingly at the filming, I’m so proud of him. There were four cameras on him but he took it all in his stride.”

During the episode, Arlo and his mother visit Lauren Branning and Peter Beale’s home, where Arlo plays with her son Jimmy, who was revealed to be blind in a storyline last year, with Arlo’s mother offering Lauren guidance on raising a blind child.

At around four weeks old, Harvey failed his newborn screening hearing test, and his mother spotted a flicker in his eye around the same time. The family arranged a private consultation and he was diagnosed as blind at three months old.

He navigates using a red-and-white striped cane, which is used by deafblind people, and communicates through BSL. He also wears cochlear implants which provide him with access to sound. Kimberly revealed she found his first two years challenging as she battled to connect with her son, and was forced to quit work to look after him as he grew increasingly distressed whilst attending a mainstream nursery.

Disability charity Sense ultimately provided the family with a specialist in supporting deafblind children, which Kimberly described as “lifesaving” for her. She added: “I was so anxious when I found out Harvey was deafblind, so his character’s storyline resonated with me a lot. I didn’t have any experience with disability and I kept imagining the worst-case scenarios.

“Luckily, with the support of organisations like Sense, Harvey is now a really happy child who is eager to learn, loves exploring and has a cheeky personality.”

Harvey has featured in the charity’s 2025 Christmas appeal and in TV news segments highlighting the difficulties encountered by disabled children within education.

The EastEnders episode featuring Harvey will broadcast on BBC One at 7.30pm on Wednesday.

It has been branded ‘brutal’ and ‘absolute hell’

The world’s longest bus journey spans 4,000 miles and has racked up a negative reputation. It takes over 100 hours to travel the route, which is roughly six days.

The journey connects the Pacific and Atlantic oceans as it goes from Lima in Peru to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. It is made possible thanks to the Trans-Oceanic Highway.

The legendary Transoceánica holds the title of being the longest regularly scheduled, direct commercial bus route in the world.

It runs weekly by the Brazilian bus company and passes through coastal cities, savannas, wetlands, rainforests and the Andes Mountains.

The bus departs on Thursdays at 1pm and promises to be a ride passengers won’t forget. There are 44 regular seats and 12 sleeping berths on board. There’s also a toilet, small sink, water dispenser and Wi-Fi.

However, there are no showers on board. To be able to wash, passengers use facilities during the three scheduled stops per day at roadside stations.

The bus is driven by two alternating drivers, with one resting in a sleeping cabin while the other drives. According to Check My Bus, the ticket price is approximately R$1,300, which is around £186.

From the bus, passengers are able to see world-famous sites including the Amazon Basin, Andes Mountains, Christ the Redeemer and Machu Picchu.

Starting in Rio de Janeiro, the bus makes its way through São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Rondônia and Acre, until it reaches the border with Peru.

It then goes through the Peruvian Amazon, crosses the Andes and takes the Transoceanic Highway to Lima, the capital of Peru.

Despite the stunning scenery, some passengers have found the journey very tricky.

YouTuber Noel Phillips travelled the route and branded it “gruelling” and “absolute hell”. He said that on the bus, personal space was a non-existent concept.

In a video documenting the trip, Noel said: “Nobody has [headphones]; everyone just plays everything on full blast. And when they can’t hear it above everybody else’s, they just turn theirs up so in the end you just have 15 phones playing different things at 55,000 decibels.”

Noel admitted that by the time he reached Brazil, the journey felt repetitive. He faced a number of delays on his journey as well as a lack of heating on the bus.