By clicking a retailer link you consent to third-party cookies that track your onward journey. This enables W? to receive an affiliate commission if you make a purchase, which supports our mission to be the UK's consumer champion.
The price of days out can spiral, and with annual National Trust membership now costing over £100 per person, you might be looking for ways to save on costs
Thankfully, it’s often possible to enjoy a free day out by picking up free National Trust day passes, which are available during giveaways throughout the year. The entry, worth up to £50, enables up to two adults and three children, or one adult and four children, to visit a National Trust property in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Though there aren’t currently free passes up for grabs, we’ve shared everything you need to know to prepare for the next giveaway below.
What’s more, if you’re considering signing up for annual National Trust membership, there are ways to lower the price. Read on for our tips.
An annual membership for the National Trust is now £108.80 per year for adults, or £176.40 for a family with two adults. Here’s how to cut the cost.
Cashback sites such as TopCashback and Quidco offer reimbursement of a percentage of money spent, if you purchase a pass via their sites.
TopCashback offers 3% back on the cost of any membership (excluding lifetime memberships), along with a free one-off guest pass to bring along someone else on your next visit to a national trust property. The site is also currently running a promotion offering £15 extra to spend at its partners, including National Trust. Another cashback company, Quidco, also offers 2.4% cashback on memberships.
Did you know you can use NTS membership to visit National Trust properties across the UK? Individual membership costs £79.20, joint costs £140.40 and family costs £157.80 — all significantly cheaper than National Trust’s prices. You’ll get access to over 100 NTS properties and most of The National Trust’s 500+ properties in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Just double-check if any properties you’d be keen to visit are included, as restrictions sometimes apply.
You might not be aware that senior members of National Trust over the age of 60, who have been members of the National Trust for at least three consecutive years are entitled to 25% off the cost of individual and joint membership, because it isn’t automatically applied. To get the discount, you can’t apply online or in person — you must instead call 0344 800 1895.
Those who require help visiting National Trust properties for accessibility reasons can also apply for an Essential Companion pass, which allows you to bring any carer or companion for free.
A young person’s National Trust membership (for those aged 18-25) is also significantly cheaper, less than half the cost of a standard membership at £50.40 a year, and those aged 5 to 18 pay £12.
If you work for or are retired from the emergency services, NHS, social care sector, teaching community and the armed forces, you’re entitled to a Blue Light Discount card, which unlocks discounts and offers to a wide range of brands and institutions, including the National Trust. Sign up for a card if you’re eligible, and you can purchase a discounted shopping card, which can then be used to pay for a membership.
Once you’re signed up to the National Trust, you’re entitled to a range of discounts with its partners, such as Cotswold Outdoor, Runners Need, Snow+Rock and Craghoppers, along with many more. Those small discounts can add up to offset the cost of membership if you think you’ll use them.
And if you tend to book cottage holidays in the UK, it’s also handy to remember that National Trust members get 10% off stays in National Trust cottages, meaning you could save £25 on a £250 stay.
For more inspiring destination ideas and unbiased travel advice and recommendations, subscribe to Which? Travel
Get super-useful advice on who to book with, how to get the best deals and inspiring destination ideas from the experts, all year for just £36.75.
Buy and saveSave 25% - was £49, now £36.75 for a year, with each purchase. Offer ends 15 April 2026
With a family day pass, up to two adults and three kids, or one adult and four kids, can enter a National Trust property.
You could visit Coleton Fishacre House and Garden in Devon – rated the Best garden in England by Which? members. Or head to Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal in Yorkshire – rated the best historic attraction in the UK, also by Which? members. Or there's Corfe Castle, a 1,000-year-old dramatic ruin in Dorset.
Just be aware that children must be 17 or under, and you never have to pay for under-fives.
Yes. Couples and individuals can use the pass.
During National Trust’s giveaways, Reach plc gives away passes online via papers including The Daily Star and the Daily Express. One free pass is allowed per household.
There are hundreds of properties to choose from in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. They include Chartwell in Kent – the former home of Sir Winston Churchill. There's medieval Bodiam Castle in Sussex, with its original moat, towers and portcullis, and Wentworth Castle in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, which has glorious gardens, woodlands and parklands to explore.
However, you can’t use the free pass at all National Trust properties. Find out which National Trust sites are included in the deal. It’s important to check before you travel there.
National Trust for Scotland and its sites aren’t included in the offer.
Here are nine more ways to save on a UK day out
You may need to for some properties. Check the National Trust website to find out where booking is essential.
No. Parking costs aren't included (although not all properties charge for parking).
Yes. In our recent historic attractions survey, we discovered that 17 well-rated attractions (by Which? members) were free to visit.
Get more unbiased advice on the best deals and best destinations with our free Travel newsletter.
