Houses of Parliament Tours
From a free tour arranged through your MP to a seat in the public gallery, the ways to see inside the Palace of Westminster.
By the Ledger desk2 min read
Photo: Marathon / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
There are two ways to tour the Houses of Parliament: UK residents can ask their MP for a free guided tour on weekdays, and anyone can buy tickets for guided or audio tours on Saturdays and during recess. Watching debates from the public galleries is free for all visitors.
Tours and what they include
UK residents can request a free "Inside UK Parliament" guided tour of the Palace of Westminster by contacting their local Member of Parliament (MP) or a member of the House of Lords. Tours can be requested up to three months in advance, and you do not have to know your MP personally or support them politically to ask. The tours visit some of the Palace's best-known spaces, including Westminster Hall, Central Lobby, the House of Commons Chamber and the House of Lords Chamber. They do not run on Saturdays, Sundays, bank holidays or on the day of some ceremonial events.
Paid guided and audio tours run on Saturdays throughout the year and from Monday to Saturday when Parliament is in recess. They are open to UK residents and overseas visitors alike and are booked through Parliament's official ticketing site, which lists current dates and prices.
UK residents can also arrange a tour of the Elizabeth Tower, home to Big Ben, through their local MP, although places are limited; other visitors buy tickets online. Visitors must be aged 11 or over and comfortable climbing 334 steps, and the bells and clock mechanism are very loud.
Watching debates for free
All visitors can watch debates in the House of Commons and House of Lords from the public galleries, and watching is free of charge. The galleries are open to the public from Monday to Thursday and on some Fridays when the Houses are sitting. Tickets are not required for general debates: on most days you can simply turn up and queue, and Visitor Assistants can tell you how long the wait is likely to be. Prime Minister's Questions is different: tickets are required, they are free, and they are available only to UK residents, who request them in advance from their MP. Tickets can also be requested in advance for Ministerial Question Time. Visitors who want to watch debates enter via the Cromwell Green entrance.
Security and getting there
All visitors go through airport-style security before entering, and you and your belongings may be hand searched. Parliament says the wait averages up to 30 minutes, and longer on busy Monday to Wednesday afternoons; the queue starts outside, so dress for the weather. Knives and other sharp items (except those needed for medical reasons), paint sprays and items that make a noise, such as whistles, are not allowed, so check the full prohibited items list on the Parliament website before you set off.
The nearest Underground station is Westminster. From East Ham, the District line runs straight through to Westminster without a change.
For a first visit, the simplest plan is to watch a debate from the galleries on a sitting day. If you want to see more of the building, contact your MP, up to three months ahead, to ask for a free tour, or book a Saturday tour through Parliament's official ticketing site.
General information, checked against the sources below at the time of writing. Rules, rates and deadlines change, often each April; confirm with GOV.UK, the council or the organisation concerned before you rely on them. For advice on your own case, Citizens Advice is free.
