England introduces quarantine hotels and further post-arrival COVID-19 testing
Newsletters
17 February 2021
Introduction
Managed isolation in hotels
Post-arrival COVID-19 testing
Penalties for non-compliance
From 15 February 2021, international arrivals to England must quarantine in a government-managed hotel if, within the 10 days before their arrival, they have been in or transited a country to which a travel ban applies ('red list' countries). Additional post-arrival COVID-19 testing has been mandated from the same date. A raft of penalties will also apply for non-compliance.
The additional measures have been put in place to further reduce the risk of new COVID-19 variants arriving in the United Kingdom.
On 11 February 2021 the Department of Health and Social Care published quarantine hotel guidance outlining the new requirements for arrivals from travel ban countries. Separate guidance was updated for all other arrivals to England from outside the Common Travel Area. A booking portal that was due to launch at the same time was delayed, leaving little time for people with arrivals scheduled for 15 February 2021 and the following days to make their arrangements.
Unless exempt as defined in the quarantine hotel guidance, individuals arriving in England who have been in or transited a red list country within 10 days of their arrival must go into quarantine in a government-managed hotel for 10 days from their arrival. The date of arrival is calculated as day zero.
Affected individuals must:
- book a transport service that will arrive into Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, London City Airport, Birmingham Airport or Farnborough Airport (other ports of arrival may be added in future). People with existing bookings arriving on or after 15 February 2021 must re-book to arrive at an authorised port;
- take a COVID-19 test within the three days before the service that they will travel to England on departs, and receive a negative test result;
- book a quarantine package (which includes transport to and from the hotel, hotel stay (including meals) and day two and eight COVID-19 testing) via the booking portal on GOV.UK; and
- complete a passenger locator form within 48 hours of arrival in the United Kingdom, including the managed quarantine hotel details and quarantine package booking reference.
The cost of the quarantine package is as follows.
|
One adult in one room for 10 days (11 nights) |
£1,750 |
|
Additional adult or child over 12 |
£650 |
|
Additional child aged between five and 12 |
£325 |
These costs will be reviewed periodically, with the first review due before the end of March 2021. Individuals who receive income-related benefits may request to pay for the quarantine package via a deferred repayment plan of 12 monthly instalments.
It is unclear from the guidance what additional costs will be incurred if a person tests positive for COVID-19 while in quarantine (or is a close contact of a person who tests positive) and must remain at the hotel for an extended period. This is of concern as it is impossible to assess from publicly available information at present what the overall cost of quarantine may be.
On arrival, the passenger locator form must be presented to Border Force with each individual's passport and negative COVID-19 test result. Arranged transport will then take groups of passengers to the quarantine hotel. The package includes transport back to the airport of arrival at the end of the quarantine period.
For all arrivals aged five and over who must quarantine in a government-managed hotel, COVID-19 tests must be taken on or before day two and on or after day eight.
From 15 February 2021, all other arrivals to England from outside the Common Travel Area must take COVID-19 tests on or before day two and on or after day eight. In addition to the already established pre-departure negative COVID-19 test requirement, they must book a travel test package at a cost of £210. The booking portal was due to launch on 11 February 2021 but was delayed due to a technical error. Individuals must provide their travel test package booking reference number when they complete their passenger locator form.
An additional free National Health Service test should be requested if a person in hotel or home quarantine develops:
- a high temperature;
- a new continuous cough; or
- a loss or altered sense of smell or taste.
Penalties for non-compliance include the following.
|
Providing false or deliberately misleading information on a passenger locator form |
Fine of up to £10,000, imprisonment for up to 10 years or both |
|
Failing to arrange a quarantine package before arrival |
Penalty of up to £4,000 plus cost of quarantine package |
|
Arriving at a port other than a designated port |
Penalty of up to £10,000 plus cost of transport to nearest designated port |
|
Breaking quarantine rules |
Penalty of up to £10,000 |
|
Refusal to take COVID-19 test |
Penalty of up to £2,000 |
For further information on this topic please contact Andrew Osborne or Kathryn Denyer at Lewis Silkin by telephone (+44 20 7074 8000) or email (andrew.osborne@lewissilkin.com or kathryn.denyer@lewissilkin.com). The Lewis Silkin website can be accessed at www.lewissilkin.com.
The materials contained on this website are for general information purposes only and are subject to the disclaimer.
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