BREAKING NEWS: People Can Now Travel From The UK As Boris Johnson Lifts Lockdown Rules

People living in England will be able to go on holidays abroad from next week, Boris Johnson has announced.

Non-essential international travel will resume from May 17, as part of a series of Covid-19 restrictions lifting on the same date.

Speaking at a Downing Street press briefing today, the prime minister said the non-essential travel ban will be scrapped and replaced by a risk-based traffic light system next Monday.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have not yet confirmed when they plan to ease their travel restrictions.

The government confirmed on Friday that 12 destinations had made the ‘green list’, which passengers can travel to without having to quarantine when they return to the UK.

Portugal, Iceland, Gibraltar, the Faroe Islands, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Brunei all made the category. This is in addition to the remote territories of the Falklands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Saint Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha.

Despite being on the green list, travellers will not be able to go on holiday to Australia, New Zealand or Singapore as their borders remain closed to UK tourists.

Destinations on the 'green list':

Portugal including the Azores and Madeira
Israel
Australia
New Zealand
Singapore
Brunei
Iceland
Faroe Islands
Gibraltar
Falkland Islands
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Saint Helena
Ascension Island and
Tristan da Cunha

Those travelling to green list destinations will be required to take a test when they arrive in the UK.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said most destinations will be put on the ‘amber list’, meaning passengers will have to self-isolate at home for 10 days and take private tests on day two and eight.

The quarantine period can be cut to five days if travellers sign up to the test and release scheme, which requires another paid-for test on day five.

But the government advice says passengers ‘should not travel to amber list countries or territories for leisure purposes.

British and Irish nationals or UK residents returning from ‘red list’ countries must go into a government-approved quarantine hotel for 10 days at a price of £1,750 per person.

Non-essential travel remains banned to such destinations, which include all of South America, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, India, South Africa, the Maldives, and a number of African countries like Zimbabwe and Kenya.

Countries on the 'red list':

Angola
Argentina
Bangladesh
Bolivia
Botswana
Brazil
Burundi
Cape Verde
Chile
Colombia
Democratic Republic of Congo
Ecuador
Eswatini
Ethiopia
French Guiana
Guyana India
Kenya
Lesotho
Malawi
Maldives
Mozambique
Namibia
Nepal
Oman
Pakistan
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Qatar
Rwanda
Seychelles
Somalia
South Africa
Suriname
Tanzania
Turkey
United Arab Emirates
Uruguay
Venezuela
Zambia
Zimbabwe

The transport secretary apologised that more countries could not be put on the green list, including popular destinations like Spain and France, but said the traffic light system will be reviewed every three weeks.

From next Monday, people will also be able to plan more domestic holidays as hotels, hostels and B&Bs in England will reopen for group bookings.

Currently, travellers can only go on trips to self-contained accommodation such as campsites and holiday homes in their household or bubble.

Indoor mixing will be permitted again from the same date, meaning people will be able to travel with people outside of their household and stay overnight.

In further updates, the PM announced that pubs, restaurants, bars and cafes will be allowed to welcome back customers for indoor dining.

Cinemas, museums, theatres, bingo halls, children’s play areas, and concert halls will also reopen with social distancing in place, along with indoor sport and gym classes.

Meanwhile, hugging loved ones and overnight stays outside of households or support bubbles will be allowed again, with groups of up to 30 permitted to meet outdoors.

Funerals and weddings, including post-funeral events and receptions, are allowed to take place with up to 50 people and alcohol permitted.

Larger events at indoor venues were also given the go-ahead with a maximum of 1,000 people or up to half of the venue’s capacity – whichever is less.

Outdoor venues will be allowed a capacity of 4,000 people or half-full – again, whichever is smaller.

The largest outdoor seated venues, where crowds can be spread out, will be allowed up to 10,000 people, or 25% of the venue’s capacity – whichever is lower.