The new law is expected to be in place until June
As the government’s ‘stay at home message’ comes to an end from March 29th, Covid legislation is being amended, and this will certainly be one of the headline changes. The major impact of this news is that it makes it officially illegal to travel abroad, as human rights barrister Adam Wagner explained.
He said: “Previously, the ‘holiday ban’ which the government had advertised was assumed rather than explicit – because going on holiday wasn’t a reasonable excuse, it was assumed you couldn’t be outside of your home to do so. But now it is explicit.”
Of course international travel is already banned in England, but from the end of March people will be able to socialise with people outdoors, and will no longer be told to leave the house for only essential reasons.
This news will be a blow to the holiday industry and those counting down the days to that first holiday abroad. There had been hope that foreign travel would be permitted from May 17th, and coupled with the recent announcements from countries such as Turkey and Portugal that they will be welcoming Brits that haven’t had the jab this summer, there was growing optimism around the prospect of holidays this summer.
However this revelation, coupled with the growing third wave that is sweeping across the major European nations, June now looks like the very earliest that travel abroad will be permitted, if at all. The rise in Covid rates in Europe, along with the slow rollout of the vaccines across the continent, are casting growing doubt on whether holidays abroad will be permitted at all this year.
Wales and Scotland are still working towards May 17th as the date that they will permit travel abroad, whilst Northern Ireland has yet to announce its plans. Current travel bans do not apply to the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
New rules coming into place from the end of March state that the only reasons people may leave the country are for work, study, legal obligations, moving home or major events such as weddings or funerals. People must also fill in a form stating that they are leaving the country, and not doing so could result in a £200 fine.
