Reduced price Whipsnade Zoo tickets
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 Whipsnade 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 Whipsnade 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 Whipsnade Zoo available for those currently 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.
Find out how we spend your donations
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.
If reduced price Universal Credit tickets 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
You will need to bring proof of eligibility with you and show this when you present your ticket(s) to our friendly staff at the admissions gate. This can either be by logging into your Universal Credit portal or by bringing your proof of benefit letter (one proof per household). To be eligible you must have received a Universal Credit payment within the last month and 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.
Frequently asked questions
To qualify for access our reduced price tickets you must be currently receiving Universal Credit. If you are not eligible for this initiative, you may be able to access other reduced price tickets through our Community Access Scheme which helps a range of community groups access our Zoos including those with disabilities and older people at risk of isolation, through partner charities.
As a charity, we were able to launch a scheme offering reduced price tickets to people who meet the Help for Households criteria, thanks to a grant which we were awarded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
We were delighted so many people were able to visit the zoo using the original scheme, helping us to connect more people with nature.
We have extended the scheme while we seek partners to help us realise our longer term vision for it.
Visitors to the zoo directly fund our conservation work, which is why we are appealing to those who can afford it to add a voluntary donation of £1 on tickets.
If you’re a UK taxpayer Gift Aid can also be claimed on top of every pound you spend, meaning we can reclaim tax from the government – an additional 25p for every £1 at no extra cost to you.