The United Kingdom is one of Western Europe's classic destinations full of stunning landscapes, exciting attractions, rich culture and more. It's a place that guarantees an amazing holiday whether you're visiting with family, friends or your other half. If you're planning a future getaway here and wondering about whether you can travel to the UK, here's everything you need to know about the COVID-19 situation.
What is the COVID-19 situation like in the United Kingdom now?
Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, has recently announced that COVID-19 restrictive measures in England will end on July 19, bringing the country to its final stage (step 4) of the Roadmap in England. This includes working from home, wearing face masks and limited social gatherings.
Note: The Prime Minister's government has set these health policies for England, but not for Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. The three countries will be in charge of their own COVID-19 rules.
Can I travel to the United Kingdom?
Only travelers from green and amber list countries are allowed to enter the UK (refer to the lists below). Unless you're a British national, an Irish national or someone with residence rights in the UK, you cannot travel to the UK if you’ve been in a red list country in the previous 10 days leading up to your travel.
Green list countries:
Australia; Brunei; New Zealand; Iceland; Singapore; Faroe Islands; Gibraltar; Falkland Islands; Israel; South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands and St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha; Anguilla; Antigua; Balearic Islands; Barbados; Bermuda; British Antarctic Territory; British Indian Ocean Territory; British Virgin Islands; Cayman Islands; Dominica; Grenada; Madeira; Malta; Montserrat; Pitcairn Islands and Turks and Caicos Islands.
Amber list countries:
A majority of countries have made it to the list including Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and the United States. Check out the full list here.
What are the travel and quarantine requirements in the United Kingdom?
- You must take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2 after you arrive.
- Children aged 4 and under do not need to take this test.
- You do not need to quarantine unless the test result is positive.
- You must quarantine if NHS Test & Trace informs you that you travelled to England with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
- Quarantine at home or in the place you are staying for 10 days
- Take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2 and on or after day 8. Read about quarantine and taking COVID-19 tests.
- Children aged 4 and under do not need to take the day 2 or day 8 test.
- You may be able to end quarantine early if you pay for a private COVID-19 test through the Test to Release scheme.
For red list countries:
Before you travel to England you must:
- Take a COVID-19 test
- Book a quarantine hotel package, including 2 COVID-19 tests
- Complete a passenger locator form
On arrival in England you must:
P.S. Find out more about what you’ll need to do before you leave for the UK.
What is the latest update on COVID-19 vaccination in the United Kingdom?
As of 27 June 2021, a total of 77,038,257 vaccine doses have been administered. The UK has four vaccines approved for use: Pfizer-BioNTech, Oxford-AstraZeneca, Moderna and Janssen. Check out BBC's full breakdown of vaccinations across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.