Travellers entering the UK will have to self-isolate for 14 days – unless they’re from Ireland

We might be daydreaming about leaving the city, or even the country, now that lockdown restrictions have begun to slowly ease. But the government has today reminded us that travel as we once knew it might still be a long way off returning. 

The UK government have announced that, from June 8, people entering the UK will be subject to a 14-day self-isolation period. 

Certain workers, such as medical staff, road haulage and freight workers, will be exempt, as will people travelling into the UK from Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. 

There had been rumours of a travel bubble between the UK and France, which would allow easy movement between the two countries without an isolation period, but that’s not on the cards for the time being. 

Under these new restrictions, travellers will undergo checks at the border and have to give details on where they are staying. They will then have to travel to that address without using public transport and remain there for 14 days. There will reportedly be spot checks to ensure the isolation is adhered to, and £1,000 fines for anyone who breaches the quarantine period. 

These new rules will be reviewed by the government every three weeks going forward and adjusted in line with how the situation is progressing in the country. 

Why are the new rules coming in on June 8, not right now? Home Secretary Priti Patel said that the UK was introducing the rules as a reaction to other countries in Europe beginning to relax lockdowns and reopen their borders to travellers, and as some airlines, like EasyJet, begin to run routes again. 

When will we be able to travel again? Here’s what we know so far. 

Parts of Europe are reopening. Here are the countries lifting travel restrictions. 

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