On Universal Credit – visit London Zoo for £3

We want as many people as possible to be able to enjoy a brilliant day out with us, to benefit from the amazing animals which live at London Zoo, connect with nature and help us create a world where wildlife thrives.

To help people who might find cost or other challenges a barrier to visiting London Zoo, our Universal Credit tickets provide entry at a reduced price.

Tickets from as little as £3 per person

Universal Credit tickets

We know how hard things are for many families on low incomes right now, and we want to do what we can to help.

We have made reduced price tickets to London Zoo available for those receiving Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support or Jobseeker’s Allowance.

These tickets are only available to purchase online in advance, for up to six people per household (under 3’s go free and do not need to book – but must be accompanied by an adult with a booked ticket).

These tickets must be booked online in advance of your visit, as only full price tickets are available to buy at the gate.

If you can afford to spend a little bit more on your ticket, please consider adding a voluntary donation of £1 on tickets. These donations are crucial to our vital conservation work around the world protecting wildlife.

We allocate tickets flexibly based on how many overall visitors we expect. Keeping the zoo safe and fun for everyone is our priority, along with the welfare of our animals.

We may release additional Universal Credit tickets for sold-out dates closer to the day, so keep checking back.

BOOK UNIVERSAL CREDIT TICKETS

If reduced price Universal Credit are unavailable for the date you select, please try another date. Only full price tickets are available to buy at the gate, so please do not travel to the zoo without a ticket even if you are eligible for reduced price entry.

What you need to bring

For your group, you will need to bring one proof of benefit letter or with you to the zoo when you present your tickets(s) to our friendly staff at the admissions gate (this can be an electronic copy, for example logging in to your Universal Credit App to show us on arrival). You may also be asked to show Photographic ID.

HOW TO GET A PROOF OF BENEFITS LETTER

Unfortunately, we won’t be able to accept reduced price tickets unless you are also able to show one of the above documents (per household) as proof of eligibility.

The Universal Credit tickets offer has proved very popular, so please be prepared to queue to enter the Zoo, especially at peak times like weekends and during school holidays. To minimise waiting time we recommend arriving later in the day, or choosing to visit at off-peak times.

 

Good to know

We know that travel and food & drink can really add up on a day out. We have wonderful restaurants, cafes and refreshments areas in our zoos, but if you are on a budget you are welcome to bring your own food and drink.

Our shops sell keepsakes and souvenirs from as little as £1.

Our Zoos may differ from others, so if it’s your first time at our Zoos it’s good to know that:

  • Your food is for humans only! We don’t allow visitors to bring food for our animals. For their wellbeing, they all have a very specialist controlled diet.
  • We have talks, but not ‘shows’. We want our visitors to enjoy and learn about our precious animals, and for the species we look after to have as natural wild behaviour as possible. So, you can enjoy fun and informative short talks from our presenters throughout the day – but we don’t ask our animals to participate in ‘shows’.
  • The homes we build for our animals are carefully designed to provide places for them to explore, rest and, yes, sometimes to hide if they’re feeling shy! You’re sure to see a whole host of amazing animals during your day, but some may be more challenging to spot, so our friendly volunteers and staff are always happy to help.

You’ll find our full Terms and Conditions of entry here.

Important notes:

  • Please book online in advance to avoid disappointment
  • Regular admissions tickets, including those for anyone coming along with you, must still be booked online and in advance.
  • We’re operating a cashless system on our sites and we ask that you pay with credit or debit cards, or contactless payment methods only. 

See also: Free activities for kids and families in London – Summer 2024