The new UK quarantine measures

QCan I go abroad? A Yes, although you will have to abide by the quarantine regulations on your return, when you will be expected to self-isolate for 14 days. The Foreign Office guidance on nonessential travel still stands.

Q Would I be exempt if I had a test showing I was clear of coronavirus?

A No, only a “very limited” group of people are exempt, including freight drivers, seasonal vegetable and fruit pickers, medical specialists and others listed by the Home Office. People from Common Travel Area countries, including Ireland, are exempt. Everyone else is subject to quarantine, including returning Britons, on entering the country. Q What do I need to do before returning to the country? A You should use the Home Office’s online “contact locator form” to fill in your travel plans, your accommodation address in the UK where you will self-isolate, your passport number and contact details.

Q What if I fail to do that?

A You risk a £100 fine, which can multiply up to £3,200, like lockdown fines. Border Force officials will be conducting spot checks at ports and airports and will stop people to check they have filled in their form. If you are stopped and have not filled it in, you will have one last chance to do so. If you continue to refuse to hand over your personal details

after being fined, you could be arrested.

Q How do I get to my home once I arrive in the UK? A The Home Office is advising people to use personal transport, including car or taxi, but it recognises that some people may not be able to do so and may have to use public transport.

Q

What happens if I don’t self-isolate? A

You face a £1,000 fine and potentially unlimited fines if it proceeds to prosecution. There will be spot checks where you could be contacted by phone by Public Health England officials who will ask you a series of questions about your self-isolation. If their suspicions are raised, police will be sent to your address to investigate.

Q Does this mean that my chances of taking a summer holiday abroad without quarantine are dashed? A

It appears increasingly likely, certainly for early and mid-summer. The quarantine is due to come into effect on June 8 and will be reviewed every three weeks, meaning the first will be on June 29. The Government has left open the possibility of negotiating “air bridges” with countries with low coronavirus rates, where travellers both ways would be exempt from quarantine. However, there are deep divisions in Government over the practicability of such “air bridges”, which have yet to be resolved.