Win a Caravan, From Touring Vans to Static Holiday Homes

There are two very different prizes behind the phrase “win a caravan”. A touring caravan is one you tow behind your car and take wherever you like. A static caravan, often called a holiday home, stays put on a holiday park. You can win either through paid competitions, free giveaways from holiday parks and caravan brands, or the free postal entry that paid draws must offer. Before entering, it pays to know which kind you’re actually after, because the costs that come after the win are completely different.

Touring or static? Decide this first

Most people searching for caravan competitions have one or the other in mind, and the listings below are split the same way.

A touring caravan gives you freedom. You hitch it to your car, pick a site anywhere in the UK or Europe, and bring it home afterwards. Brands like Swift, Bailey, Elddis, Adria and Buccaneer are the usual prizes. You’ll need a car capable of towing it, somewhere to keep it, and a bit of confidence reversing.

A static caravan is a holiday home that lives permanently on a park, usually by the coast or in the countryside. You don’t move it and you don’t need to tow anything. Instead, you pay the park an annual fee to keep it there, and you visit whenever the park is open. Many of the biggest “win a holiday home” giveaways are run by holiday park groups themselves.

Caravan competitions open now

For touring caravans we show the van’s maximum laden weight on every card, so you can check straight away whether your car could tow it.

Who gives caravans away

Online competition operators run most of the paid caravan draws. BOTB, for example, runs touring caravan competitions through its Midweek Lifestyle draw, with prizes such as the Buccaneer Bermuda and Swift Base Camp 4, tickets from 90p, a Spot the Ball game to decide the winner, a £2,000 cash top-up, and contributions of up to £1,500 towards insurance and £400 towards maintenance. Smaller competition sites run caravan draws now and then, and raffle platforms occasionally host static caravan raffles with a cash alternative.

Holiday park groups run free “win a holiday home” giveaways, usually for a static caravan on one of their own parks. These are genuinely free to enter, though you’ll be signing up to the park’s marketing.

Caravan clubs and magazines give away touring caravans too, sometimes in partnership with a manufacturer. These tend to be free to enter, though some are open only to members or subscribers.

The costs that come after the win

This is where touring and static caravans really part ways, and where many winners get caught out.

With a static caravan, the site fee is the number that matters most. On many parks it runs into thousands of pounds a year, on top of utilities and rates. Some giveaways include the first year’s fees, while others include none at all. Parks also set their own rules on how long a caravan can stay before it has to be replaced, and holiday homes can only be used for holidays, not as a main residence. Read the giveaway’s terms carefully for what’s covered and for how long.

With a touring caravan, the main costs are storage, insurance and an annual habitation service, which checks the gas, electrics, water system and damp. It’s far cheaper to run than a static, but you’re doing all the towing and pitching yourself.

Can your car tow it?

If you passed your driving test after 1 January 1997, you might remember being told you needed an extra test to tow a caravan. That rule changed in December 2021. Most drivers with a standard car licence can now tow a trailer or caravan up to 3,500kg without taking an additional test.

That doesn’t mean any car can tow any caravan. Your car’s towing limit is in the handbook, and a common guide among caravanners is to keep the loaded caravan at or below 85% of the car’s kerbweight, especially if you’re new to towing. Check the caravan’s maximum laden weight (often shown as MTPLM) against your car before entering. If your car isn’t up to it, the cash alternative may be the more sensible prize.

Free ways to win a caravan

Free caravan competitions do exist in the UK, and they come from three places.

Holiday park giveaways are the most common. They’re free to enter online, usually limited to one entry per person, and the prize is a static caravan on that group’s park. Caravan clubs and magazines run occasional touring caravan giveaways, sometimes open to members only. And every paid caravan competition must offer a free postal entry with the same chance of winning as a bought ticket. Our guide to the free entry route explained shows how that works, and the postal entry rules guide covers the details that get entries rejected. You’ll find free giveaways for cars and other vehicles on our free car competitions page.

What we check before listing a caravan competition

We’re an independent comparison site. We don’t run competitions or sell tickets, and while we may earn a commission when you enter a paid draw through our links, that never affects what we list or the order. Free giveaways are listed whether we earn anything or not.

For paid caravan competitions, we check for an 18+ restriction, a published ticket cap and closing date, a clear free entry route and a stated cash alternative, and we note whether the operator has signed the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s voluntary code. For static caravan giveaways, we also look for clear wording on site fees: whether they’re included, for how long, and what happens afterwards. If a giveaway is vague about fees, we say so on the listing. More detail is in our methodology.

A long shot, so keep it light

Whether it’s a touring van or a holiday home, winning a caravan is a long shot. Set a budget for paid entries before you start, use free postal entries where you can, and don’t chase draws that are about to close. If you see a “free caravan” offer on social media asking you to pay a fee to claim it, our guide on how to spot competition scams explains why that’s a red flag. If entering has stopped being fun, the National Gambling Helpline is free on 0808 8020 133.

Caravan competition questions

Is there a free competition to win a caravan?
Yes. Holiday park groups regularly run free giveaways for static holiday homes, caravan clubs and magazines run touring caravan giveaways, and paid caravan competitions all offer a free postal entry.

If I win a static caravan, do I have to pay site fees?
Usually, yes. Some giveaways cover the first year’s site fees, but after that you’ll pay the park’s annual fees, plus utilities. Check the terms for exactly what’s included.

Can I move a static caravan I’ve won to a different park?
Normally not. Static caravan prizes are usually tied to the park offering them. Moving one is expensive and depends on the new park agreeing to take it.

Do I need a special licence to tow a caravan I’ve won?
Not usually. Since December 2021, most car licence holders can tow up to 3,500kg without an extra test. Your car still needs to be able to handle the caravan’s weight.

Can I take cash instead of a caravan?
Most paid competitions offer a cash alternative. Free giveaways from holiday parks and clubs often offer the caravan only.

What is the 5 caravan rule?
It usually refers to small certificated sites approved through the Caravan and Motorhome Club or the Camping and Caravanning Club, which can host up to five caravans or motorhomes at once. They’re popular with touring caravanners looking for quieter pitches.

Do I pay tax if I win a caravan?
Competition prizes are generally not taxed as income in the UK. Our guide to tax on competition prizes covers the details.

Last updated: October 2026. Prize details and park terms change frequently, so always confirm on the organiser’s site before entering.