COVID-19: New quaranting on arrival in England

If you now arrive in England from outside the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands (the “Common Travel Area”) from Monday 8 June 2020 you must comply with new laws: The Health Protection (Coronavirus International Travel) England Regulations 2020.

There are two main requirements

• you must provide detailed information such as contact details, details of intended onward travel and where you will staying/living on a Passenger Locator Form. This also has to be provided for accompanying children.
• you must self-isolate at the stated location you provided for a period of 14 days.

This also applies to those who arrive in England from another part of the UK but came into the UK from outside the Common Travel Area in the previous 14 days.

Exemptions from self-isolation

There are numerous exemptions that are quite complex and should be referred to on a case-by-case basis. Some examples of these exemptions are transit passengers, road haulage or road passenger transport workers including relief drivers, seamen, pilots, Channel Tunnel drivers, maintenance and safety/security staff, emergency workers, oil workers, postal operators and seasonal workers.

Other exemptions

Some persons do not have either to provide the information or self-isolate for 14 days. These include diplomats and similar, Crown servants and government contractors, and foreign government officials, amongst others.

Enforcement

If a person is not self-isolating at the location given they may be directed to return or can be removed there.

The following are new offences that can be dealt with by Magistrates Court fines or by fixed penalty offers:

• not providing the necessary information on arrival in England
• failure to self-isolate
• failure to comply with a direction to return to a place of self-isolation.

Fixed penalties: wilful obstruction of the requirement to self-isolate carries a Fixed Penalty of £1,000. Otherwise, any fixed Penalty is in the sum of £100, doubling for each subsequent offence to a total of £3,200 for a sixth offence.

The Regulations are subject to review at least every 21 days and expire at the end of 12 months automatically.

Footnote: The Health Protection (Coronavirus International Travel) England Regulations 2020 coming into force on 8 June 2020.

Further advice

We will continue to update you about developments as they arise.

Please contact Tim Ridyard on 07484 924834 or email tim.ridyard@ashtonslegal.co.uk for individual advice for your business.

Alternatively, if you or your business require advice or need assistance for any regulatory or road transport matters, please get in touch with our specialist Regulatory and Road Transport team through this website or by calling 0330 404 0778.

This information is correct at 10am on 8 June 2020.