Holidaymakers in England could face a nightly levy on hotel and Airbnb-style accommodation under new plans ministers are due to outline. The proposals would grant mayors the authority to charge visitors staying overnight and decide how the revenue is invested.
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner is scheduled to meet with mayors today, Thursday 10 September 2026, where she is expected to detail that the levy will be calculated as a percentage of the accommodation cost, rather than a flat fee. This approach is intended to protect budget holidays.
The idea, first raised by Keir Starmer’s government in November, is similar to a scheme already in place in Scotland. UKHospitality chief executive Allen Simpson has stated that such plans could put jobs at risk and that the new tourism tax in Edinburgh is "already having damaging effects."