New coronavirus restrictions in England mean residents won’t be allowed to take the UK holidays they’ve booked. While existing restrictions in Wales and parts of Scotland also mean holidays can’t take place.
In England, a lockdown will begin from midnight, 5 November. Overnight stays away from home are banned, and you are only allowed to go outside for a very limited number of reasons, such as education and shopping. On that basis, all holidays for England residents and holidays in England cannot take place. This lockdown will be in place until at least 2 December.
Wales’ national lockdown has now ended. Whilst you can once again travel throughout Wales if you live there, you still cannot travel abroad unless it is essential.
Use our holidays abroad Q&A if you need help with an international flight or holiday.
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- Can I still take a UK holiday?
In England, from 5 November, no. The rules in England ban overnight stays, such as at holiday cottages and hotels for leisure reasons, and all travel for leisure reasons. Following the announcement of a second lockdown for England, Scotland has advised against travel between the borders unless it is ‘absolutely essential’.
As of 9 November, Welsh residents can stay overnight in holiday accommodation within Wales, but not within England.
Current England travel restrictions
From 5 November to 2 December no holidays in England can take place. Before that date the tiered restrictions apply. These are on a city or region level. The government has said that after 2 December it intends to return to this tiered system.
Tier 1 restrictions – can I take a holiday?
Yes. Tier 1 level restrictions are similar to those which were already in force across the country, so travel is still allowed to and from these areas. You can mix with other households, meaning holiday cottage or other accommodation booked with another household can go ahead, but the rule of six still applies – meaning no more than six people can stay together.
Tier 2 – can I take a holiday?
It is a grey area. Travel is also allowed to Tier 2 areas, but you can only stay in self-catered accommodation with people you normally live with. The government hasn’t banned those living in Tier 2 areas from travelling, but the advice is to “reduce the number of journeys you make”. As the government has only issued advice, you may not be able to get a refund.
Tier 3 – can I take a holiday?
No. The government says people should avoid travelling to “high risk” areas covered by Tier 3 restrictions, such as the Liverpool City Region. People living in Tier 3 areas are told to avoid staying overnight anywhere else in the UK.
Which? believes people with bookings affected by Tier 3 restrictions should be able to get a refund.
Tier 2 and Tier 3 holiday rules explained – read our full guide
Can I take a holiday from or in Wales?
Although Wales’ national ‘firebreak’ lockdown has ended, new restrictions do not allow people to enter Wales without a reasonable excuse. But, if you reside in Wales normally, you can take a holiday within the country.
Wales was the first of the four UK nations to introduce a ‘circuit-breaker’ lockdown, ordering people to stay at home in an attempt to control rising cases of coronavirus.
Can I take a holiday from or in Scotland?
There are no mandatory travel restrictions but First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has advised Brits not to travel between England and Scotland unless it is ‘absolutely essential’.
Within Scotland, people have been told not to travel to or from five areas in the central belt, which are Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Arran, Lothian, and Forth Valley “if they don’t need to”. However, as this is guidance rather than a legal lockdown, it’s unlikely holidaymakers can claim a refund.
Can I get a refund for my UK holiday when lockdown restrictions prevent travel?
We believe that if you had booked accommodation in or were going on holiday from or in England or Wales, or any other area that introduces similar restrictions in the future, you should be entitled to your money back.
It is likely that most holiday accommodation will close when these restrictions are introduced. If that is the case, you will be entitled to a refund. You can choose to accept rebooking or a voucher, but you have the right to ask for a full refund.
Most major UK holiday companies are offering refunds to people who aren’t allowed to travel due to local lockdowns. Sykes Cottages, Hoseasons and Cottages.com, which were all criticised for refusing to refund customers during the nationwide lockdown earlier this year, say they will refund in these circumstances.
Sykes is offering refunds or an alternative holiday to those who can’t travel due to government restrictions for trips booked up to 11 November, and it says it will review this in line with government guidance. However, customers are reporting difficulty claiming refunds as they have to call Sykes to do so and its phone lines are often engaged.
Hoseasons and sister company Cottages.com are offering alternative holidays or refunds to those who can’t travel over the next three weeks due to the restrictions.
If your provider claims the terms and conditions of your contract exclude refunds in this scenario, they could be challenged on the basis that they are potentially unfair. The Competition and Markets Authority has previously stated that refunds should be paid to customers who cannot take up a service because of government regulations.
Will new social distancing rules affect my holiday in England? The rule of six
From 5 November until at least 2 December, all holidays in England will be banned.
If the tier system is reintroduced later in the year, then you can still go on holiday to most of England, with the exception of areas under Tier 3 restrictions, but you must abide by any local restrictions and the new social distancing rules in the region you’re visiting. This might mean you’ll no longer be able to holiday with people you don’t normally live with.
In areas of England covered by Tier 1 restrictions, the ‘rule of six’ allows up to six people – including children – from multiple households to stay together in a holiday cottage. But for those living or staying in areas covered by Tier 2 restrictions, there is a ban on household mingling so you can only stay in self-catered accommodation with people you normally live with.
Will social distancing rules affect my holiday in Wales?
From 23 October until 9 November, holidays in Wales will be banned.
After this, travel may be allowed in areas not covered by local lockdowns, but social distancing rules only allow up to six people to stay in the same self-catered accommodation and they must all be from the same household or extended household. Children under 11 don’t count, but there can be no more than six other people, even if they all form an extended household.
Will social distancing rules affect my holiday in Scotland?
Holidaymakers are discouraged from crossing the borders now that a second lockdown has been announced.
In Scotland, since 25 September, a new, stricter ‘rule of six’ came into force which means that only people from one household, or extended household, can stay in self-catered accommodation together. An extended household can be formed by a person who lives alone – or only with children under 18 – and another household of any size, or a couple who don’t live together plus their children.
What if my accommodation booking breaks the rules?
You need to check the restrictions for the area you are travelling to and if your group consists of multiple households where this isn’t allowed you’ll have to reduce the number of guests or cancel.
In this instance, the bigger self-catering booking sites such as Sykes Cottages, Hoseasons and Cottages.com all say they will give customers the option of refunds, free changes or vouchers.
Sykes is currently allowing refunds or changes for bookings up to 23 December, but it is warning people not to cancel the booking themselves otherwise they’ll forfeit the right to a refund. It says it will contact customers in date order.
Hoseasons and Cottages.com, both part of Vacation Rentals, admit customers are struggling to get through to them on the phone due to ‘an unprecedented volume of calls’, so they are asking people only to contact them two weeks before their holiday.
Butlin’s, Haven and Center Parcs are also allowing free cancellations or changes for groups that don’t comply with the new social distancing restrictions.
Private accommodation owners might take a different view. The government said it ‘encourages accommodation providers to offer alternative dates if this can be agreed with you’. If this isn’t possible, it says it encourages businesses to provide a refund, but says this may depend on the terms of the contract.
We believe you should be entitled to a refund for accommodation in England and Wales on the basis that if you went ahead with the booking you would be breaking the law. If your contract doesn’t specify what happens in these circumstances you should be entitled to most, if not all, of your money back; if the terms and conditions exclude refunds in this situation they could be challenged on the basis that they’re potentially unfair.
Will my travel insurance cover cancellation costs?
Most comprehensive annual travel insurance policies, especially those provided through bank accounts, will cover UK holidays and should include cancellation cover for trips booked before mid-March when coronavirus was declared a pandemic so it’s worth checking the wording of your policy. Standard annual policies are unlikely to cover UK travel and some insurers introduced COVID-exclusion clauses for trips booked after mid-March.
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/11/new-coronavirus-restrictions-in-england-scotland-and-wales-what-it-means-for-holidays-in-the-uk/