Having mothballed or partially closed many attractions over the winter, National Trust and English Heritage properties are back into full swing for the warmer weather.
Anyone making more than the odd visit to their castles, stately homes and gardens over the course of the year means it is typically more cost-effective to take out an annual membership.
But securing a 12-month pass can still be pricey. A family membership for both conservation charities will set you back £325.40, while a single adult pass at the National Trust now costs more than £100.
Thankfully, Telegraph Money can reveal the tips and tricks to save significant sums for the year ahead.
National Trust
Starting with the more popular of the charities, National Trust members now have to fork out around 30pc more than they did four years ago.
The standard membership prices for 2026 are:
You can buy a straightforward membership online, which comes with free entry to more than 500 National Trust places, free parking at most National Trust car parks, a handbook and access to its magazine. You can also get a complimentary one-day admission ticket included in your welcome pack for a guest.
To save more money, you could try these tips:
Become a member with National Trust for Scotland
Scottish membership per adult costs £79.20, and it gains you access to all National Trust sites elsewhere in Britain. This works out to be £21.60 cheaper than joining the English arm of the Trust. Similarly, a family pass with Scotland costs £157.80, compared to £176.40 in England, a saving of £18.60.
You do not need to be a Scottish resident to sign up, and you still qualify for free parking at National Trust sites in England.
This is the best saving option for people aged 60 and over, as the National Trust does not offer senior rates for new or returning members just for fitting into this age category.
With the National Trust, you must have been a member for three consecutive years before you can request a senior rate deal by calling the sales team. But the National Trust for Scotland does not enforce these rules, and anyone aged 60 or over is automatically eligible for a cut-price £70.80 deal.
Use your child’s pass to get free parking
National Trust membership for 18 to 25-year-olds is half the price (£50.40) of a standard adult pass, and it comes with all the perks – including free parking.
As one Telegraph reader pointed out to us, there is technically nothing stopping you from using your son or daughter’s age to your advantage.
Let’s say your 20-year-old son gets an annual pass. If he accompanies you when using a National Trust car park, you can scan that pass upon entry or at the machine and get free parking, even if you’re not a member.
In unmanned car parks, there is theoretically nothing stopping the parent from using the pass without the younger passholder present – but you do run the risk of being caught.
This loophole has been active for a number of years and was discussed on money-saving forums in the noughties. The National Trust would seemingly be aware of its longstanding use, but it has not moved to close it.
We asked the charity if it condones such behaviour and whether the 18 to 25-year-old has to be present for their pass to be used. But the Trust did not wish to comment on ways to circumnavigate its membership fees.
Annual junior passes (£12) do not come with free parking, as the age bracket is below 17.
Buy a pass for a short period of time
Fancy visiting a handful of sites but can’t justify the annual fee? Then a limited-time pass is likely the best option for you.
The passes are only available for consecutive days, so you’d need to cram in visits to get your money’s worth.
Named the Explorer Pass, this grants you full access and parking, just like normal annual membership.
Buckinghamshire boasts the highest number of National Trust properties, so it is the county most likely to offer you the best value for money for a short stay.
It can also come in handy if you’re doing a week-long walking holiday in the Lake District, for example, where the national park is a hotbed of Trust car parks charging £9 for a four-hour-plus stay.
One adult
- Four days – £36
- Eight days – £48
- Fourteen days – £63
Two adults
- Four days – £59
- Eight days – £77
- Fourteen days – £103
Family
- Four days – £64
- Eight days – £82
- Fourteen days – £108
English Heritage does offer a similar pass (£56 for nine days), but it is restricted to overseas visitors only.
There is no workaround to obtain this pass as a British national because you have to verify your nationality with your passport.
English Heritage
Membership prices rose by 2pc in 2026 following a 14pc jump last year. Of the 400 English Heritage sites across the country, around 100 charge an admission fee.
The current fees are:
There are a couple of ways to shave some money off these prices.
Sign up before April 8 for a cut-price
If you sign up for annual membership in the next few days, you can get a discount of more than 25pc.
An adult pass normally costs £84, but you can currently secure one for £61.50. Joint adult membership can be bought for £108 – a discount of £31 on the standard price.
All adult passes with English Heritage come with free entry for up to six children.
The offer lasts until April 8. To claim it, you’ll need to use the code Easter26 at the online checkout.
Join the Civil Service Sports Club
Current or former public sector workers can utilise discounts offered by the CSSC (Civil Service Sports Club). Annual membership for the CSSC costs £71.88 (£5.99 a month), and one of the key perks is free, year-round family entry to English Heritage attractions.
This amounts to a saving of £77.12 for a two-adult family pass. Some 19 sites are excluded, including Rochester Castle, Chester Castle and others which offer select guided tours. Big-name sites such as Stonehenge and Dover Castle are included, however.
If you’re a current, retired or former member of the civil service, public sector or armed forces, you can join CSSC.
You can also join if you’ve ever worked for a previous public sector organisation, such as BT, or if you’ve contracted for a public service.
An existing member can also refer you if you do not meet this eligibility criteria. So if you have always been in the private sector but know someone who is a CSSC member, you can be permitted.
Other perks include admission to Kew Gardens, 20pc off London Zoo and cinema and gym discounts.
How to save on both National Trust and English Heritage
Buy a New Zealand heritage pass
Snapping up a heritage pass for the other side of the world is one of the best money-saving hacks around.
Thanks to a reciprocal agreement, joining Heritage New Zealand comes with the added bonus of annual membership at both the National Trust and English Heritage. You don’t need to be a New Zealander to buy it.
An annual adult membership can be bought by a non-Kiwi for just £121 (NZ$275). By comparison, buying both English Heritage and National Trust passes would set you back £178.
For family tickets, an NZ membership costs £195. If you buy them separately here, it would cost £325.40 – marking a hefty saving of £130.40.
The one setback, however, is that the NZ pass does not come with the free parking perks.
Make use of heritage open days
Watch out for heritage open days where you can gain free entry to a host of English Heritage and National Trust attractions.
From September 11-20 this year, hundreds of sites will be free to visit. More information on the participating sites will be announced soon.
Also keep an eye out for National Lottery Open Week, which runs every March. This year’s open week has passed, but it will return in 2027.
Evidence of a National Lottery ticket – whether it be a scratchcard, instant win game, lotto or any other game – gains one adult entry to English Heritage and National Trust sites.
There is no limit to how many sites you visit over the course of the week, so you could cram in numerous days out for a minimal cost. This could be particularly effective in Northumberland and North Yorkshire, where there are English Heritage sites aplenty.
You do not even need to have an up-to-date lottery ticket, as you can show an old one to gain free entry.