The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (England) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020/568) is a statutory instrument (SI) made on 2 June 2020 by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The regulations aimed to reduce the possibility of infection spreading from travellers from overseas. They imposed requirements from 8 June 2020 on certain categories of travellers arriving in England from outside the Common Travel Area (all regions of the United Kingdom plus the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands and Isle of Man). Travellers falling within the regulations had to provide specified information on entry, and some had to undergo a fourteen-day period of self-isolation (later reduced to ten days). As initially made, the requirements applied in respect of all travel to England from anywhere outside the Common Travel Area, but from 10 July 2020 travellers from a list of "exempt countries and territories" were not subject to the requirement to self-isolate. Later amendments introduced further refinements including "additional measures" imposed on travellers from certain areas, and rules banning all flights and vessels from some high-risk regions. The SI related to England only; there were separate regulations for travellers to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. On 17 May 2021 the regulations were revoked and replaced by the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel and Operator Liability) (England) Regulations 2021 (SI 2021/582).
Regulations
Legal basis and commencement The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (England) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020/568) were introduced by way of a statutory instrument made by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, using emergency powers available to him under sections 45B, 45F(2) and 45P(2) of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984. The regulations came into effect on 8 June 2020.
Requirement to provide information The regulations applied to most travellers who arrived in England from outside the Common Travel Area (CTA), i.e. all regions of the United Kingdom plus the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands and Isle of Man. Travellers were required to provide information about themselves and their intended address or addresses in England for the following 14 days. The same applied to travellers arriving from within the CTA who have been outside the CTA in the 14 days preceding their arrival. The required information included the passenger's personal data, journey details, and details of the place they intended to self-isolate. A passenger locator form had to be completed on arrival into England, or, for passengers on the Eurotunnel Shuttle, at immigration control in Calais. Passengers could complete the form in advance as long as they provided proof of having done so if requested. Members of diplomatic or consular missions, representatives of international organisations afforded privileges and immunities in the UK, diplomatic and consular couriers, government representatives on official business, and members of their households were exempted from the requirement to provide this information; although between 7 and 28 November 2020 this exemption was not available to any person who had been in Denmark in the 14 days before arriving in England. By October 2020, the government concluded that the level of compliance with the requirement to provide information was "sub-optimal". The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Public Health Information for Passengers Travelling to England) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020/1090) placed additional requirements on travel operators to provide information to passengers, including a requirement to provide information relating to compliance with these requirements and health guidance. Such information was required to be provided to passengers within the period 24–48 hours before departure to England. From 1 February 2021, transport operators who did not ensure passengers they carried into England had completed the form could also be fined or prosecuted.
Requirement to self-isolate SI 2020/568, as originally made, required all travellers who entered England from outside the Common Travel Area, or who had been outside the Common Travel Area in the fourteen days prior to their arrival in England, to self-isolate from others for a period of time. Amendments to the regulations (see below) varied this general requirement in respect of certain countries. Self-isolating travellers had to go directly to the place where they were to self-isolate and remain there until the end of the 14th day after which they entered the Common Travel Area, or the date they left England. From 14 December 2020 the self-isolation period was reduced to 10 days. Those within their periods of self-isolation could not leave or be outside the place where they were self-isolating except:
to travel to leave England, provided they did so directly to seek medical assistance to fulfil a legal obligation such as to attend court, satisfy bail conditions, or participate in legal proceedings to avoid injury or illness or to escape a risk of harm on compassionate grounds, such as attending certain funerals to move to a different place of self-isolation in exceptional circumstances, for example to obtain basic necessities such as food or medical supplies where these could not be obtained in any other manner; to access critical public services; or to move to a different address if it became impractical to remain at the self-isolation address.
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