UK to ban holiday travel, imposing £5,000 fine

A £5,000 fine for anyone in England trying to travel abroad without good reason is due to come into force next week as part of new coronavirus laws.

The BBC is reporting that the penalty is included in legislation that will be voted on by MPs on Thursday.

Foreign holidays are currently not allowed under the “stay at home” rule which ends on Monday.

According to the BBC, from next week the ban on leaving the UK will become a specific law, backed up by the threat of the fine.

Under the current plan for easing restrictions, the earliest date people in England could go abroad for a holiday would be May 17.

However, another surge in COVID-19 cases in continental Europe, as well as the slow rollout of vaccines across Europe, has cast doubt on the resumption of foreign travel.

Legally-permitted reasons for foreign travel currently include work, volunteering, education, medical needs, and to attend weddings or funerals.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said restrictions on travelling abroad for leisure were necessary to guard against the importation of large numbers of cases and new variants which might put the vaccine rollout at risk.

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