If you need to travel to a red list country, it’s important to fully understand the UK’s quarantine rules. Arrange your quarantine hotel package in advance and remember to take a PCR test before arriving in the UK.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all but essential travel to red list destinations, and anyone travelling to the UK from a ‘high risk’ country is required to hotel quarantine. When travel to a red list country is unavoidable, these are the quarantine rules you should follow on your return.
The latest quarantine rules
Starting February 11, UK COVID-19 tests for vaccinated travellers are set to be axed. The rules have also been eased for unvaccinated holidaymakers, who will no longer have to take a day eight test or self-isolate, but will still need pre-departure and day two tests. Learn more.
From December 15, 2021, there are no countries on the UK’s red list, which means there are currently no hotel quarantine requirements for people arriving from those countries.
While the red list remains in place as the “first line of defence against future variants”, the government is seeking to replace the hotel quarantine policy with other contingency measures. Home isolation might be an option.
Things can change pretty quickly. For the latest updates on the red list destinations, please refer to gov.uk.
Quarantine rules: where to stay, and how long for
If you’ve been in a red list country in the past 10 days, you can’t enter the UK unless you’re a UK or Irish national, or a UK resident. The red list quarantine rules apply to everyone – even those who are fully vaccinated.
There’s no option to self-isolate at home. Instead, you need to pre-book (and pay for) quarantine in a managed hotel. The package price (£2,285 per person) includes a transfer from the airport, accommodation, meals, and the two COVID-19 tests you must take on day two and day eight.
There’s also no Test to Release option – you need to stay at the quarantine hotel for a minimum of 10 days, with the day you arrive counting as day ‘zero’.
What happens if you break the quarantine rules?
You can face a penalty of £10,000 if you break quarantine. If you don’t arrange your quarantine package before arriving in the UK, you can be fined up to £4,000. You’ll also need to pay the full cost of a quarantine package.
Quarantine checklist: what do I have to do?
Quarantine rules on return from red list countries are the same whether you’re fully vaccinated or not. There are a few things you’ll need to do, some of which you should organise in advance.
- Take a COVID-19 test in the two days before you travel.
As long as the test meets performance standards, it can be a PCR or antigen (e.g. lateral flow) test - Book a quarantine hotel package.
You will need to quarantine for 10 full days, and longer if you test positive on day two or day eight - Fill in a passenger locator form in the 48 hours before you travel.
You’ll need the invoice number for your quarantine hotel, and booking reference numbers for the COVID-19 tests included in the package - Take the official transport to your quarantine hotel.
- Self-isolate in the hotel for at least 10 days.
- Take COVID-19 tests on day two and day eight.
Get ready for your next adventure
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