Latest guidance updates for staycations

The Government has published guidance for England on what people should do if they are on holiday in an area with local coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions, or live in a restricted area and are planning on taking a holiday outside the area. Advice for accommodation providers has also been updated to cover this scenario and can be found in the Working Safely guidance. 

The guidance for individuals covers:

Staying inside the area

Steps you should take:

• If you live inside the area, you should only socialise indoors with members of your own household or support bubble.

• You can only stay in a private home - which includes self-catered accommodation such as holiday cottages, apartments or boats - with members of your own household or support bubble.

• You can stay in a hotel or similar accommodation (for example, a hostel or bed and breakfast) with another household, but should avoid sharing rooms with people you do not live with or otherwise socialising indoors, for example in each other's rooms, in reception areas, or in restaurants and bars.

• Sharing a caravan with another household is being advised against. You should not share private vehicles to travel to your holiday destination.

• You can travel into an area with local restrictions on holiday. Whilst inside the area, you should follow the guidance set out above.

Travelling outside the area

Steps you should take:

• If you live inside an area with local restrictions, you can go on holiday outside that area but you should only socialise indoors with members of your own household or support bubble.

• You can only stay in a private home - which includes self-catered accommodation such as holiday cottages, apartments or boats - with members of your own household or support bubble.

• You can stay in a hotel or similar accommodation (for example, a hostel or bed and breakfast) with another household but should avoid sharing rooms with people you do not live with or otherwise socialising indoors, for example in each other's rooms, in reception areas, or in restaurants and bars.

• Sharing a caravan or boat with another household is being advised against. You should not share private vehicles to travel to your holiday destination.

Advice for accommodation providers in the Working Safely guidance is as follows: 

• People resident inside an area with local restrictions are advised to only socialise indoors with members of their own household or support bubble.

• People resident inside an area with local restrictions can go on holiday outside that area, but whilst there should only socialise indoors with members of their own household or support bubble.

• They must only stay in a private home - which includes self-catered accommodation such as holiday cottages, apartments or boats - with members of their own household or support bubble.

• People can stay in a hotel or similar accommodation (for example, a hostel or bed and breakfast) with another household but should avoid sharing rooms with people they do not live with or otherwise socialising indoors, for example in each other’s rooms, in reception areas, or in restaurants and bars. Sharing a caravan with another household is advised against.

• At the time that local restrictions are brought in, if you are currently on holiday with another household in an area with local restrictions and are staying in a private home - which includes self-catered accommodation such as holiday cottages, apartments or boats - and it is not reasonable for you to curtail your stay, you should finish your holiday as planned. Until the end of this holiday, you should make every effort to reduce socialising indoors outside of your household and follow local regulations and guidance. 

Responsibilities of the accommodation provider: 

• Within the area, you should not intentionally facilitate interaction between more than one household/support bubble indoors. This includes renting rooms in your private home to holiday makers.

• Outside the area, you should not intentionally facilitate interaction indoors between more than one household/support bubble from within an area with local restrictions. This includes renting rooms in your private home to holiday-makers. Those not complying with these responsibilities may be at risk of the premises being closed.

• All accommodation providers are encouraged to consider their approach towards guests from inside areas with local restrictions. You may wish to communicate to all customers with existing bookings, reminding them of the law and giving them a chance to cancel their bookings if they intend on travelling with another household.

• If guests are not able to take a planned holiday due to local restrictions, the Government is encouraging they offer alternative dates if this can be agreed with the customer. If this cannot be arranged, they are encouraging businesses to provide a refund as they have for customers during the broader period of national restrictions, which may depend on the terms of the booking contract.

• If a booking is cancelled, either by the guest or the provider, the Government is encouraging the offer of alternative dates if this can be agreed with the customer or, if not possible, the provision of a refund as you have for customers during the broader lockdown period, (subject to the terms of the booking contract). 

Business meetings and events: 

People should only socialise indoors within their own households or support bubbles in areas with local restrictions. However, businesses and venues following COVID-19 secure guidelines can host groups, if this is in accordance with the relevant guidance for their sector. This includes hosting business meetings and events of up to 30 people in permitted venues