Covid: When, where and how can I go on holiday?
- Published
Rules on where you can holiday in England, Scotland and Wales have been relaxed.
However, there are still limits on how you take your holiday.
Can I travel anywhere in the UK?
If you live in England, Scotland and Wales you are now free to travel around and between each country.
Anyone planning to go to a Scottish island is encouraged to take two lateral flow Covid tests before travelling.
Currently, you should not travel in or out of Northern Ireland except where it is essential to do so (regulations will be reviewed on 13 May).
If you have to travel to Northern Ireland and plan to remain for at least 24 hours, public health advice is that you self-isolate upon arrival for 10 days (unless you are exempt).
If you live in England, Scotland and Wales and want to go anywhere else within the Common Travel Area (Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Man) check what restrictions are in place before you travel.
Can I go on holiday now - and who with?
In England:
- Self-contained holiday accommodation (including caravans, boats and second homes) can open, but must be used only by a single household/bubble
- Six people from six households (or two households of any size) can meet outdoors with social distancing (children of all ages are included in the count)
- You cannot mix socially indoors with people you don't live/bubble with
In Wales:
- Self-contained holiday accommodation can open for use by a single household/support bubble
- Hotels, B&Bs and hostels can open if they have en-suites and provide room service
- Campsites must keep shared facilities and communal areas closed
- Six people from six households can meet outdoors, including private gardens (children under 11 are not included in the count)
- You cannot mix socially indoors with people you don't live/bubble with
In Scotland:
Scotland is currently in Covid protection level three.
- Tourist accommodation (hotels, B&Bs, self-catering, caravan and camping sites) can open
- Different households must not share self-contained holiday accommodation
- Six people from two households can meet socially indoors in a public place
- Six people from six different households can meet socially outdoors in a private garden or public place
- Under-12s do not count towards the total number of people meeting outside, but do count towards household numbers indoors
- You cannot mix socially in a private home with people you don't live/bubble with
In Northern Ireland:
- Hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels, caravan sites and self-catering accommodation can operate on a restricted basis
- From 30 April, you can stay overnight in self-contained accommodation with your household/bubble
- People from the rest of the UK won't be able to holiday in Northern Ireland until restrictions on travel movements in and out are lifted
- Up to 10 people (including children) from two households can meet outdoors (including private gardens) with social distancing
- From 30 April this rises to 15 people from three households
- You cannot mix socially indoors with people you don't live/bubble with
Can I stay in someone else's home?
You are not currently allowed to stay overnight in another private home in any part in the UK, unless you are in a support bubble with that household.
The rules are expected to be relaxed in England and Scotland on 17 May.
From 3 May in Wales, you can form an "extended household" exclusively with one other.
In Northern Ireland, it's hoped that households will be able to mix in private homes from 24 May.
What holiday rules will be eased on 17 May?
In England:
In Scotland:
In Wales, the government has said it will consider allowing remaining visitor accommodation to reopen in advance of the Spring Bank Holiday at the end of May.
In Northern Ireland, it's hoped other tourist accommodation can reopen from 24 May (subject to review).
When will restrictions be eased even further?
England won't move to step four of the government's roadmap until at least 21 June.
Then, it's hoped "all legal limits on social contact" will be removed, but a review of social distancing and other Covid measures must report first.
Scotland hopes to move to Covid protection level one from 7 June - and then level zero from late June.
Covid rules in Wales and Northern Ireland are due to be reviewed next on 13 May.
When can I go on holiday abroad?
Foreign holidays are currently banned, and returning travellers have to quarantine.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said people in England can start thinking about booking foreign trips again.
However, while the earliest possible date for foreign travel was previously given as 17 May, timings have not been confirmed.
How will foreign travel be regulated?
A new traffic light system will be introduced in early May. Countries will be in one of three categories:
Where a country is placed will depend on:
- vaccinations
- infection rates
- how common Covid variants are
- testing and sequencing capacity
There will be a "green watchlist", to give people notice if a country is about to move to amber, or red.
How much will tests cost travellers?
Consumer group Which? estimates each PCR test could cost about £120 per person.
This could make holidays unaffordable for many people, members of the travel industry have suggested.
EasyJet said customers should be able to use lateral flow tests instead if they're travelling to "green light" countries..
These are cheaper and don't have to be sent to laboratories for checking.
What's the current situation?
Anyone wanting to travel abroad has to fill in a "Declaration to Travel" form, stating a valid reason for leaving the country.
Travelling outside the UK without a reasonable excuse attracts a £5,000 fine in England.
What are your rights if you book a holiday now?
Most accommodation and holiday providers have flexible booking policies. These should be in their terms and conditions.
The UK watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), suggests you should usually get your money back if coronavirus restrictions scupper your holiday plans.
It says this would be the case if a business cancels your booking, or can't provide the service due to lockdown laws, or you can't go on a booked holiday because the rules would make it illegal.
If you decide to cancel a holiday due to government guidance, the CMA suggests you should not face "disproportionately high" charges. These should only cover the amount of money the business can expect to lose.
Vouchers or postponement can be offered, but you are not obliged to accept these instead of a cash refund.
A few insurance policies will cover you if you miss a holiday because you have been diagnosed with coronavirus, or because you are required to self-isolate, as long as you already held the policy.