Traveling In The Uk: What To Expect After April 12Th

From 12 April 2021, lockdown restrictions in the UK were revised. Domestic overnight stays and self-catering UK holidays were allowed, but only for a single household. International holidays were still prohibited. The government advised that people should continue to minimise the amount of travelling they do where possible.

Domestic overnight stays and self-catering UK holidays will be allowed

Domestic overnight stays and self-catering UK holidays after 12 April 2021

From 12 April 2021, residents of the UK were permitted to travel within their country and stay overnight in self-contained accommodation. This was part of the four-step roadmap out of lockdown, which was dependent on the continued success of the UK's vaccination programme and the continued decline of COVID-19 infection rates.

Self-contained accommodation includes places where the kitchen, bathroom, and toilet are used by a single family or household for the duration of their stay. This includes self-catering cottages, caravans, and second homes.

Hotels, B&Bs, and hostels in England and Wales were not permitted to reopen until 17 May, and in Northern Ireland, these establishments reopened on 24 May.

While domestic overnight stays were allowed from 12 April, the government guidance at the time was still to "minimise the amount that you travel where possible" and to "avoid making unnecessary trips".

In addition, the rules for meeting people indoors remained the same as before 12 April. This meant that two households or a group of up to six people were allowed to meet outdoors, but meeting friends inside was not permitted until 17 May.

International holidays are still prohibited

On April 5th, 2021, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that the country was on track to meet the planned lift in restrictions outlined in the government's roadmap on February 22nd, 2021. This meant that from April 12th, 2021, lockdown restrictions in the UK would be revised, allowing for domestic overnight stays and holidays within England for single households.

However, international holidays were still prohibited at this time. The UK government stated that holidays abroad would remain banned as the country continued to administer vaccines and due to the risk of new coronavirus variants disrupting progress. This ban included foreign nationals in England who were subject to national restrictions but were allowed to return to their home countries.

The government introduced a three-tier traffic light system for categorising countries for international travel to and from England. While the government hoped that people would be able to travel for summer holidays, they could not confirm this possibility yet. The confirmation of the restart date for international travel and the classification of countries were expected to be announced nearer May 17th, 2021.

Until then, the government advised minimising travel wherever possible, both domestically and internationally. Those planning to travel to England from outside the UK were subject to coronavirus restriction rules, including completing a passenger locator form and providing proof of a negative COVID-19 test. All arrivals were also required to quarantine and take additional coronavirus tests on the second and eighth day of their quarantine period.

No mixing households or bubbles inside your home

From 12 April 2021, lockdown measures in the UK were eased, allowing holidays within England to resume. However, there are still some restrictions in place. While you can go on holiday within England, you must do so with members of your household or support bubble only. No indoor mixing with other households is permitted. This means that you can only stay in self-contained accommodation, such as holiday cottages, cabins, campsites, and caravan parks, with members of your household or support bubble.

If you are planning to stay at a friend's house, this is only allowed if they have joined your support bubble. Otherwise, staying overnight at a friend's house would mean mixing households indoors, which is not allowed.

It is important to note that these rules are specific to England, and travel restrictions to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland may differ. For example, Scotland announced that travel to and from England and Wales would be allowed from 26 April, while Northern Ireland had not yet provided a date for when hotels and B&Bs would reopen.

To ensure compliance with the rules, it is recommended to continue minimising travel where possible and to maintain social distancing and other safety precautions when travelling or meeting with others.

Social distancing and face mask rules remain

The UK government's four-step roadmap out of lockdown was contingent on meeting specific criteria, such as the continued success of the vaccine rollout and controlling infection rates. The easing of restrictions on 12 April 2021 was the second step in this process.

While the relaxation of rules allowed for greater freedom of movement and interaction, social distancing and face mask rules were maintained to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. These measures were deemed necessary to balance the reopening of society and the economy while mitigating the risks associated with the virus.

The UK government emphasised the importance of adhering to these rules to ensure the safety of the public and to avoid a resurgence of cases. The public was advised to continue following the guidelines on social distancing and wearing face coverings in the specified settings to protect themselves and others.

The retention of these rules underscored the ongoing nature of the pandemic and the need for continued vigilance. By keeping social distancing and face mask mandates in place, the UK government aimed to gradually resume normal activities while managing the risks and keeping the infection rates under control.

All non-essential shops to reopen

On April 12th, 2021, lockdown restrictions in the UK were revised. From this date, non-essential shops were allowed to reopen. This included shops such as clothing, home goods, and electronics stores.

Safety Measures

To ensure the safety of staff and customers, shop owners were advised to implement the following measures:

• Staff should wear face coverings in customer-facing areas.
• Help staff maintain social distancing with barriers, back-to-back or side-to-side working, and creating staff teams.
• Reduce crowding by managing queues and using floor markings.
• Limit the number of customers in fitting rooms and provide hand sanitiser at entry and exit points.
• Limit customer handling of merchandise by introducing product rotation or cleaning.
• Stagger collection times.
• Provide hand sanitiser in washrooms.
• Increase cleaning frequency.
• Manage social distancing by introducing one-way systems.
• Ensure the workplace is adequately ventilated.
• Staff with COVID-19 symptoms or who have been in contact with a confirmed case should not come to work.

Preparing to Reopen

Retailers were advised to take several steps to prepare for reopening, including:

• Getting a handle on stock levels and restocking popular items.
• Preparing and managing staff by providing training on social distancing measures and the business's entry and exit points and queuing practices.
• Creating an online store or integrating e-commerce with their existing physical store.
• Communicating with customers about reopening plans and safety measures through email marketing and social media.

Domestic Travel

From April 12th, domestic overnight stays and holidays within England were permitted for single households or support bubbles. International holidays were still prohibited.

Frequently asked questions