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How will the 14-day UK travel quarantine work?

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The Government has announced details of its travel quarantine arrangements this afternoon.

As had been trailed, virtually all arrivals into the UK will need to enter into quarantine for 14 days on arrival.  For non-UK citizens / residents, Border Force will be allowed to refuse entry if they believe that the visitor will not abide by these arrangements.

The exact details will not be known until full written Government guidance is published.  This is what was announced:

When does the new quarantine system begin?

8th June

Who is covered by the quarantine ruling?

Everyone entering the United Kingdom from anywhere except Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Ireland, except for freight drivers, doctors and scientists entering for coronavirus-related work and fruit pickers.

How does it work?

Arrivals will need to have filled in an ‘online contact locator’ form before arriving in the country.  It will not be a Government requirement to have completed the form but airlines may at their discretion refuse to carry passengers who have not done so.  This will be used for quarantine enforcement and for contacting travellers if any fellow passengers on their flight, boat or train falls ill.

Arrivals must leave the port or airport by car, wherever possible, and head to a location where they will quarantine for 14 days.  Travellers should not receive visitors and should not leave their quarantine to buy food or other supplies if possible.

Hotel accommodation will be provided for arrivals who do not have accommodation arranged.

Other people who are staying in the same house as someone who is quarantining do not have to enter quarantine.

What is the fine for breaking quarantine?

The police will not be directly involved in enforcing quarantine.

Public health officials and ‘private contractors’ will be responsible for visiting arriving travellers.  (It is unclear how this will work as I doubt either of these groups has the legal right to enter your property.)  In theory, these contractors will supply the police with details of those who were not at their stated address so that the police can issue a fixed penalty of £1,000.  Other parts of the UK can set their own arrangements.

When will these measure be reviewed?

The measures will be reviewed every three weeks.

The official guidance should be available on this page of the Government website very soon.

Category

General

Comments (244)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Ian M says:
    22 May22 May 18:14

    It sounds as if, if someone decides not to even complete the form it’s only a £100 fine? I wonder how many people on arrival they’ll be checking to see if the form has been completed correctly..

    Belarus has a 14 day self quarantine for all arrivals. You complete a paper form on arrival with address and phone number. You are only allowed out to go to the nearest supermarket or pharmacy, or take out rubbish. If you do leave your home you have to wear mask and gloves. The army do spot checks, visiting each person 3 or 4 times during the 14 days.

  • Andrew says:
    22 May22 May 18:15

    Any idea how this would affect international travellers connecting in the UK to a destination in the CTA?

    In the past, I often flew YYZ-LGW, changed terminals at LGW, and then flew LGW-GCI with Aurigny. Would I have to self-isolate for 14 days in the UK before flying on to GCI? At the moment, GCI has its own 14 day quarantine rule – even for arrivals from the UK. Would that be 28 days of self-isolation?

    (yes, I know that Aurigny has cancelled all LGW flights until September, and these self-isolation measures will likely be reviewed before then)

    • John says:
      23 May23 May 05:25

      You would probably tell them your address is on Guernsey and then you would go. But if it’s not actually possible to get to Guernsey then this question is not worth speculating on.

      If you live in Scotland and you arrive at Heathrow without a car then they’ll have to let you take public transport home.

  • Joanna Robbins says:
    22 May22 May 18:23

    So you can come in to pick fruit with no quarantine, but it you live in England and are coming home 14 quarantine

    • sayling says:
      22 May22 May 20:23

      No

      • TGLoyalty says:
        22 May22 May 21:40

        Well yes you can.

      • CV3V says:
        23 May23 May 07:22

        Can you please give more detail in you’re responses – I crave knowledge.

        • sayling says:
          23 May23 May 12:09

          Not strictly true that there is no quarantine for pickers, though I’m sure those who like to pick nits, complain or bitch and moan about anything that has ‘wiggle room’ will argue about group self-isolation versus quarantine, there is this from the gov.uk list of exempted people:

          “a seasonal agricultural worker who has an offer of employment for seasonal work to carry out specific activities in edible horticulture on a named farm. You can start work immediately but you must self-isolate on the farm. However, you may mix with fellow workers”

          Note ‘named farm’

  • BrightonReader says:
    22 May22 May 18:25

    So as I live on my own I’ll still be allowed out to go shopping (because there aren’t any on-line delivery slots) because for me it will be necessary. Not that I go out every day anway and avoid the busy times when I do.

    Will taking my rubbish to the communal bin at the end of the road mean I could be subjected to the fine if the non enforcing enforcers knock on my door – there is no kerb side collection where I live in Brighton.

    When I fly into LHR I usually trvel back by car. If it’s Gatwick it’s train. I’m not paying £40 for a taxi to Brighton from Gatters

    Plenty of loopholes in this. My guess it’ll be dropped as soon as it starts.

    • Chris Heyes says:
      22 May22 May 19:26

      BrightonReader@ keep this to yourself lol regards online “Delivery slots” i don’t know about Brighton
      But we live in Bognor Regis It’s easy to get a Tesco Delivery (if you know the secret, well was a secret until now lol)
      Log on to Tesco about 10 to midnight, go to book a slot (important if it lets you go to book but there are no slots go back to book a slot importantly keep trying)
      Around 10 to midnight (or just after sometimes 5 to)
      A page with a Tesco Van will come up saying “You Are In a Q” Do not refresh this page
      After a few minutes after midnight it will change to Book a Slot
      Your looking at around 3 weeks time though from today so if you want a delivery more often just log on the next week & repeat
      A pain waiting till after midnight i know (i’ve had to wait up to 12.20 the once, but mostly by 10min)
      Works every-time though delv last week, this week & 4th June

      • Waribai says:
        22 May22 May 20:54

        If you know how to work the tech, you don’t need to faff around with waiting till midnight….

        • Chrish says:
          22 May22 May 21:20

          Waribai@ Yes easy to work the Tec, My Son works in internet security so can access any system
          Wrote a book on it a few years ago with 3 more (fancy long name i can’t pronounce)
          Could even make sure he won or came 2nd or 3rd whatever he decided in any online competitions
          Advised Microsoft over system faults & aided police
          Chases hackers & reports their ips. Also runs a blog or did not checked recently
          But i can’t very well tell “Brighton” how to do the Tec can i lol

        • Chrish says:
          22 May22 May 21:29

          Waribai@ for your info book is:
          Books: Web Application Obfuscation, Web Application Obfuscation: ‘-/WAFs..Evasion..Filters//alert(/Obfuscation/)-‘
          Said couldn’t pronounce lol i understand it even less (well not at all lol)

      • Karen Brown says:
        22 May22 May 23:15

        Making sure to be online 10 minutes before Midnight.

        Jumping to grab the slot that you need as soon as it opens at midnight.

        Where have I heard that before:-)

        • Chris Heyes says:
          22 May22 May 23:43

          Karen Brown@ your not jumping to get a slot there are loads of slots it’s Tesco not BA lol

  • Harry T says:
    22 May22 May 18:29

    It’ll be gone by July, if they even bother to implement it.

  • Dominic Barrington says:
    22 May22 May 18:48

    I’m not clear. If I fly from the USA to DUB and connect on to LHR, will anyone hinder my movements or make me subject to this?

    • davvero says:
      22 May22 May 18:58

      To be realistic even if you fly JFK-LHR and skip DUB you’re likely not to be affected by this as the UK don’t have the resources to police this. But if you go via DUB you will not see any UK immigration officers as you don’t go through passport control in the UK.

    • abc says:
      23 May23 May 19:01

      Transit passengers are excempt

  • Chrish says:
    22 May22 May 19:00

    Even if it’s still in place in the scheme of it it’s only a £1000 fine & that’s at most i would imagine in practice any fine will be a lot lower than £1000.
    Plus that’s only if you get caught
    i think that’s a reasonable rick to take
    Of cause that will put off quite a few holiday makers who can’t afford or worried about the risk
    But that only helps the rest who are willing to take the very small rick of £1000 fine
    As long as plane’s are flying less passengers, will make it a better flying experience for the rest of us
    I remember years ago flying in half empty plane’s Stewardess (was no male ones them days) couldn’t do enough
    But that was the good old days

    • sayling says:
      22 May22 May 19:57

      Conversely, fewer passengers means fewer people that would need to be checked to ensure quarantine compliance – thus increased risk if being fined if you don’t…

  • memesweeper says:
    22 May22 May 19:02

    The fact there are exploitable loopholes plus the UK’s inevitable failure to enforce rigorously will not mean thousands will turn up in Britain and break the rules. This measure will deter pretty much everyone from coming (back) to the UK who would be subject to quarantine.

    In terms of disease control it won’t make a blind bit of difference. Way too late for that.

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