The National Trust has unveiled a new way for people to visit its historic sites for free.

The charity, which has several sites in Cumbria, released its annual report which revealed that visitor numbers have increased by five per cent to 25.3 million for the 2023/24 financial year despite the cost of living crisis.

There was an even higher jump in non-members visiting the sites – those who pay on the door for individual trips – with a 12 per cent year-on-year rise, but on the other hand, membership numbers dropped by 89,000 to 2.62 million members  as more people moved to paying on the day.

This reflects a wider trend seen across the tourist attraction sector, according to the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions.

Young families, which have been hit hard by the cost-of-living crisis, were the least likely to renew their membership in the last year, the National Trust found.

Trust director general Hilary McGrady said the charity has designed a new Explorer Pass and is offering free passes where it can for those who are unable to afford a visit to National Trust sites.

She added: “It’s really heartening that people still want to spend time in and support amazing cultural and natural places, whether that’s immersing themselves in art or wandering through our gardens and woodlands.

“We know the cost-of-living crisis is still biting and we’ll keep doing more to give everyone a great day out.”

The National Trust said the insights suggest more people could be prioritising paying for special days out over committing to annual subscriptions due to rising inflation, higher costs and a large drop in household discretionary spending.

The conservation spend of £178 million on historic buildings and collections was just shy of the previous year’s record spend, it added.

Meanwhile, £117.9 million of fundraising income was raised thanks to individual donors, charitable trusts, grant funders, corporate partners and gifts in wills.

 

Within the record fundraising year, £3 million was raised from second-hand bookshops, it added.

The charity said £5.5 million was spent in 2023/24 on improving physical access for people with disabilities.

In terms of work, the trust’s longest-ever conservation project – the 24-year initiative to restore 13 Gideon tapestries and rehang them at their historic home of Hardwick Hall - was finally completed.