UK will impose quarantine on all arrivals in June with few exceptions

The UK will be imposing a strict 14-day quarantine for any travellers arriving in the country the government has confirmed.

This comes after an apparent reversal of an earlier agreement between France, which had been excluded from the quarantine.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said today that the new measure coming into force on the 8th June would ensure the UK is able to “reduce the risk of cases” when it comes to people travelling across the border. However, Ireland will be exempted from the measure, and certain workers will not need to quarantine themselves. This includes farm workers, lorry drivers and other key haulage workers. Medical workers are also exempt from the measure.

The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man will also be exempt from the new measure. People that are found in breach could be fined up to £1,000. The new policy will be in effect in England but devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will have their own powers to determine how it is implemented.

Passengers who arrive into the UK therefore will need to fill out a form, providing details of where they will stay during their 14-day isolation – which will need to be either a hotel room, private residence, a family home, or a friend’s accommodation.

The Home Office will also set out a list of exemptions and provide further guidance in the coming days ahead.

The new measures mean that travellers will have to plan their stay in the UK for 14 days in isolation before they can move around freely. And people will be checked on the information they provided.

The new rules could make it difficult for tourists and seasonal travellers to enter the UK in the short-term and the quarantine measure will be reviewed every three weeks.

Does this affect your trip to the UK?