Two more national museums will be able to provide free admission to the public following the UK government’s decision to expand the VAT refund scheme.

The National Football Museum (NFM) in Preston and The People’s History Museum in Manchester will be able to benefit from the VAT refund scheme, which has previously allowed The British Museum, the National Gallery and the Natural History Museum – all in London – to provide free public access.

The scheme was introduced in 2001 to refund the main national museums and galleries, provided that they allowed free public access to their major collections.

The chancellor of exchequer, Gordon Brown, said: “The policy promoting free access to the main national institutions has been a huge success, with attendances up across the board.

“The scheme ensures that hundreds of thousands of visitors will be able to enjoy these collections of national importance.”