Covid: Who has to self-isolate, which workers are exempt and what if I'm fully vaccinated?

Changes to self-isolation rules in England and Northern Ireland come into effect on Monday 16 August.

It means that far fewer people will have to quarantine if they have been in contact with someone with Covid.

Fully vaccinated adults will no longer have to self-isolate for 10 days if they're told they have been in close contact with a person who has Covid.

This rule also applies to everyone under the age of 18.

These changes have already come into force in Scotland and Wales.

Anyone in this situation in England is now advised instead to take a PCR test as soon as possible. You are not required to self-isolate while waiting for the result.

If the result is negative, no further action is needed. However, you are advised to take extra measures like wearing face coverings in enclosed spaces and limiting contact with others, especially the clinically vulnerable.

The same arrangement is in place in Scotland, although you are advised to self-isolate while waiting for your PCR test result.

In Wales, fully vaccinated close contacts are advised to take PCR tests on day two and day eight after being identified. You are also advised not to visit hospitals and care homes for 10 days, and if you work in health or social care, you may be asked to take daily lateral flow tests.

In Northern Ireland, fully vaccinated people are also advised to take PCR tests on days two and eight after being identified as close contacts.

If you test positive on any Covid test or start showing symptoms, you must still self-isolate for 10 days from that point.

Each UK nation has its own contact-tracing service:

You still need to self-isolate for 10 days if you:

Until now, if you've downloaded the NHS Covid app and you receive a "ping" notification that you've been in close contact with someone who's tested positive, you've been advised - but not legally obliged - to self-isolate.

The sensitivity of the NHS Covid-19 app in England and Wales was recently tweaked to ensure that fewer people were advised to quarantine.

After 16 August in England, you will no longer be advised to self-isolate if you're fully vaccinated or under 18. Instead, the app will offer advice on the action you can take.

Self-isolation means staying at home and not going out for any reason.

You should order online groceries, or ask friends or family to help.

No-one from outside your household should come inside, unless to deliver essential care.

If you test positive and feel fine, but subsequently develop symptoms, you must restart your 10-day isolation.

If you have symptoms or test positive, you should:

A £500 grant is available in England to people on low incomes who have to self-isolate. This includes parents who can't work because their child has to self-isolate. It is a single payment to cover 10 days' isolation.

In Scotland people can apply for the Self-Isolation Support Grant, worth £500. There is a similar scheme in Wales. In Northern Ireland, a discretionary payment is available.

You may also be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay, which is worth £96.35 a week. Employers with their own sick pay scheme will pay more.

Anyone who does not self-isolate could be fined. In England, fines start at £1,000 rising to £10,000.

However, there have been concerns about how many people follow the rules. Some studies have suggested fewer than 20% do so.