When can I travel in the UK?
22 March 2021, 15:22 | Updated: 22 March 2021, 15:26
When can I travel and go on holiday within the UK? The current planned rules for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
As lockdown-easing continues, holidays within the UK could soon be allowed.
Read more: 'Traffic light' system could allow Brits to go on holiday this summer
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all have different rules on when measures may be lifted. There are some planned dates for travel within nations, but we don't yet know for sure when travelling between them will be able to go ahead again.
Here's your need-to-know on when domestic travel might be allowed once again.
Rules for England
Under Boris Johnson's planned roadmap for England, travel within the country may be permitted from April 12, as long as you travel with your household or support bubble.
From this date, the government official advice is: "Minimise travel. No international holidays."
You may be allowed to visit self-catering accommodation, such as campsites or holiday lets, as this time.
Domestic holidays will get easier in the third phase of lockdown-easing, from May 17, with plans for hotels and other accommodation to open on that date.
All lockdown-easing is subject to the state of coronavirus in the country, with Boris Johnson saying it will be driven by 'data not dates', saying that it will be depend on the following:
- The vaccine deployment continuing successfully
- There is evidence that the vaccine is effective in reducing deaths
- There isn't a surge in hospitalisation
- Assessment of risks are not fundamentally changed by new variants of Covid that cause concern
Rules for Scotland
Scotland will end their 'stay at home' message on April 2, but the public will be advised to 'stay local' from then.
Tourist accommodation will reopen with restrictions on April 26, with travel within mainland Scotland permitted from this date.
While it is not yet known when travel between England and Scotland will be allowed, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon previously stated that she hopes it may resume on around that date.
Speaking earlier this month, Health Secretary Matt Hancock spoke of his hopes that travel between England and Scotland will be able to take place this summer.
He made the comments during a visit to the Glasgow lighthouse lab, saying that he's confident travel restrictions will be lifted to allow trips to take place.
He said: "I’m now more optimistic about having a great British summer than I have been at any time, thanks to the speed and the effectiveness of the vaccine rollout.
"By great British summer I absolutely mean people being able to enjoy travel across the whole of the UK. Of course, the travel rules for Scotland are matter out for the Scottish Government, rightly, but I think we can all see that we can make strides down that roadmap, thanks to the speed of the vaccine rollout."
He added: "I think we’ll be able to lift the travel restrictions in England within the roadmap. That roadmap is possible both here in Scotland and in England, because of the vaccine programme."
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Rules for Wales
People living in Wales are permitted to travel up to five miles, but they are not allowed to cross the border into England for non-essential reasons.
Wales is aiming to reopen businesses like self-contained accommodation at Easter time, which falls April 4, but First Minister Mark Drakeford has ruled out people from England being able to visit at that time.
Rules for Northern Ireland
People living in Northern Ireland have been advised against non-essential travel to the rest of the UK.
The roadmap doesn't include dates, but April 1 has been announced as the earliest date lockdown-lifting will begin.
As part of stage 3, some accommodations - such as campsites, hotels and B&Bs with limited services, will open with restrictions.
Stage 4 will see the restrictions lifted, and stage 5 will start to see a full return of leisure travel.
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