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Covid: When can I go on
holiday abroad or in the
UK?
1 hour ago
Coronavirus pandemic
GETTY IMAGES
Anyone in England who travels abroad without
good reason could soon be fined £5,000.
It comes amidst growing uncertainty about
whether people will be able to take foreign holidays
this summer.
What is the new £5,000 fine for
holidays?
New coronavirus laws, due to be introduced in
England on Monday, would mean a £5,000 fine for
travelling outside the UK without a reasonable
excuse.
Anyone doing so has to fill in a "Declaration to
Travel" form, stating a valid reason for leaving the
country. These include education or work, receiving
medical treatment and providing care for a
vulnerable person. People can also travel in order
to buy or sell property.
The ban does not apply to journeys to or from the
Channel Islands, Isle of Man and the Republic of
Ireland, as long as passengers do not travel
onwards.
What's the roadmap for liJing lockdown?
When can I go on holiday
abroad?
At the moment, foreign holidays are banned, and
returning travellers have to quarantine on arrival.
A government taskforce report is due on 12 April,
about how and when international travel can
resume.
The earliest date people from England, Scotland
and Wales will be able to holiday abroad is 17 May.
Northern Ireland has not yet announced its plans,
but chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride has
said it would be "premature" to book a foreign
summer trip.
The slow rollout of vaccines across Europe and
another surge in Covid cases has cast doubt on the
return of foreign travel.
£5,000 fine for trips abroad in new Covid law
Which countries trigger hotel quarantine?
France eases travel for UK and six other
countries
When can I go on holiday in the
UK?
In Wales people are now free to travel wherever
they want within the country's borders.
Self-contained holiday accommodation - including
hotels with en-suite facilities and room service - can
open to people from the same household or
support bubble, from 27 March.
But non-essential travel to and from other UK
nations will continue to be banned for at least two
weeks.
In England, holidays within the UK won't be
allowed until 12 April at the earliest, depending on
whether the government's conditions for beating
Covid are being met.
If they are, people will be able to stay away from
home with other members of their household, or
bubble, in self-contained accommodation, such as a
holiday cottage.
Hotels and B&Bs are set to open for holidaymakers
in England on 17 May at the earliest.
But no more than six people or two households will
be able to stay together indoors. The earliest that
all restrictions on mixing could be liWed is 21 June.
In Scotland, the "stay at home" rule will end on 2
April but people will be asked to "stay local". Travel
within mainland Scotland will be allowed from 26
April, when tourist accommodation can also
reopen with restrictions in place.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she hoped travel
between Scotland and the rest of the UK would
resume around the same time.
Northern Ireland has not yet announced new UK
travel rules.
What are your rights if you book
a holiday now?
Most accommodation and holiday providers have
flexible booking policies. These should be laid out
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. The CMA
says you should receive a full refund under most
circumstances.
Lastminute.com faces legal action over refunds
Teletext Holidays investigated over Covid
refunds
LoveHolidays to refund £18m for cancelled
holidays
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 selfisolate, as long as you already held the policy.
If the holiday provider refuses to pay or goes bust
and you paid by credit card you can claim from your
card company for services not rendered under
section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. You must
have spent between £100 and £30,000 to be
eligible.
If you paid on debit card, you may be able to secure
a refund under the chargeback scheme.
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