The claim is straightforward and verifiable. The UK's standard VAT rate is 20%, and hospitality services — including restaurant meals, catering, alcoholic drinks, and accommodation — are generally charged at this standard rate. This has been the case since the standard rate was raised from 17.5% to 20% in January 2011, and specifically for hospitality since the temporary COVID-era reduced rate (5%, then 12.5%) ended on 31 March 2022. As of the speech date (3 June 2026), the standard 20% rate applied to hospitality. A temporary 5% reduced rate for children's meals and family attractions had been announced but would not take effect until 25 June 2026, and even then it only applied to a narrow subset of hospitality supplies, not the sector broadly. The House of Commons Library briefing confirms that since the end of temporary COVID VAT relief in March 2022, the standard 20% rate has applied to hospitality and tourism, and the government confirmed in February 2026 it had "no current plans to change the VAT rate for the hospitality and tourism sector." The claim is accurate. The UK's VAT rate on hospitality is 20%. Sources: UK Government guidance on VAT rates (gov.uk/guidance/vat-rates-on-different-goods-and-services); House of Commons Library briefing "VAT on tourism and hospitality services" (commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn06812/); The Value Added Tax (Reduced Rate) (Hospitality and Tourism) Order 2026 (legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/576/made)