UK holidays: When and where can I go.... and who with?
- Published
Holidays in the UK are back on.
Limits on where you can stay - and who with - are being relaxed significantly.
Where can I travel in the UK?
You are free to travel anywhere in England, Scotland and Wales - and, from 24 May, Northern Ireland.
Travel in and out of Northern Ireland is currently limited to essential reasons. If you do travel there, and plan to remain for at least 24 hours, you are advised to self-isolate for 10 days.
Anyone planning to visit a Scottish island is encouraged to take two lateral flow tests beforehand.
Can I stay in a holiday home or hotel?
The rules vary around the UK.
In England:
- All self-contained accommodation - including holiday homes, caravans and boats - can open
- It must only be used by a single household or bubble
From 17 May:
- Hotels, hostels and B&Bs can reopen
- Six people from multiple households, or any number from two households, can stay together
In Wales:
From 17 May all holiday accommodation can re-open fully.
Already:
- Self-contained holiday accommodation can open, for use by a single household or support bubble
- Hotels, B&Bs and hostels can open if they have en-suites and provide room service
- Campsites can open, but must keep shared facilities and communal areas closed
In Scotland:
Most of mainland Scotland will move to Covid protection level two on 17 May.
For most of mainland Scotland:
- Six people from three households will be allowed to share self-catering accommodation
- You still won't be able to share a hotel room with someone you don't live/bubble with
However, Glasgow City and Moray are to remain in level three, because of high levels of infection there.
Scottish islands - with the exception of Skye - will ease further than the mainland and move to level one.
All of Scotland is currently at Covid protection level three and hotels, B&Bs, self-catering, caravan and campsites can open.
In Northern Ireland:
- Hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, hostels, caravan sites and self-catering accommodation can open for Northern Ireland residents
- Different households must not share holiday accommodation
- People from outside Northern Ireland should not travel there for a holiday until 24 May
From 24 May:
- The remainder of the tourism sector can reopen (including shared facilities)
- Up to six people from two households can stay together overnight (children aged 12 and under are not counted)
Can I stay in someone else's home?
In England and Scotland staying overnight at someone else's home will be allowed from 17 May.
In Northern Ireland, up to six people from two households can stay together overnight.
Children aged 12 and under are not counted. If a household has more than six members the number staying together can be greater than six, but must not exceed 10 (including children).
In Wales, you must not not meet anyone in a private home other than those you live with or anyone in your exclusive extended household.
When can I go on holiday abroad?
The government has published a list of "green countries" to which people can travel from 17 May, without having to quarantine on their return.
When will other restrictions be eased?
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. 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 are due to be reviewed next in the first week of June, and in Northern Ireland on 10 June.