Martin Lewis gives advice on booking a summer holiday

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Homeschooling, working from home, and the closure of hospitality businesses has made life mundane and predictable. We’re all desperate for a change of scenery, even if that means visiting another area of the UK for a weekend instead of jetting off abroad. Will we be able to go on holiday in April? Here’s everything we know so far.

The lockdown motto ‘Stay at Home’ is enough to tell you we shouldn’t be going on holiday at the moment.

In fact, the lockdown rules state that you must not leave your home unless you have a reasonable excuse.

This could include going to work or school where you cannot work or learn from home, visiting your support bubble, or going to the supermarket for essentials.

The rules allow you to visit the hospital, GP or attend other medical appointments, exercise outdoors, or take your pet to the vet, but don’t allow holidays.

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At present, you can only travel internationally or within the UK under rare circumstances such as for work or to take care of a family member who is seriously ill.

The legally permitted reasons vary from country to country, so it is important to check the rules in the country before going there.

The FCDO advice reads: “Under current UK COVID-19 restrictions, you must stay at home.

“You must not travel, including abroad, unless you have a legally permitted reason to do so.

“It is illegal to travel abroad for holidays and other leisure purposes.”

Will we be able to go on holiday in April?

If the UK is still in lockdown in April, UK citizens will not be able to go on holiday in April.

Lots of different dates for the lifting of restrictions on travel have been thrown into the mix by different Government ministers.

For example, on January 31, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he hopes for “a happy and free Great British summer”, and revealed he had already booked a summer break in Cornwall.

However, he was criticised for this by International Trade Secretary Liz Truss who said it was “very dangerous” for ministers to be making such bold promises.

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Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has asked Brits NOT to “go ahead and book holidays”, and this sounds like sensible advice. 

Lockdown is expected to stay in place until at least March 8, but that doesn’t mean restrictions will definitely be lifted on this day.

Holidays in 2021 depend not only on the restrictions but also on the rate of vaccination in the UK – and luckily, this looks extremely positive.

More than 15 million people in the UK had at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

Paul Charles, CEO of the PC Agency told the Telegraph: “I’d be booking for May 1 onwards with certainty. Staycations will return from March onwards.”

Mr Charles said the vaccine is a “game-changer which makes travel certain again this spring”.

Going on holiday this year should be possible by summer, but April may be a little too soon.

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