Covid-19: Changes to amber list travel restrictions announced for people in England

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has set out changes to travel quarantine rules.

The good news for potential holiday-makers is that UK government says children under the age of 18 will not have to quarantine when they return.

If their parents have had both vaccination jabs they won't have to quarantine either as fully vaccinated adults will also be clear to avoid restrictions after their holiday.

The new rules come in from 19 July.

Under the new rules, travellers will still need to take PCR tests before and after their return.

Most places - including several popular holiday destinations such as mainland Spain, Greece and the US - are on the amber list.

At the moment the government's rules require people to quarantine for 10 days and pay for tests after visiting an amber list destination.

The move will affect people returning to England - the other UK nations, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, decide their own measures for travellers.

Earlier this year the government introduced a travel list which uses a traffic light system to say which countries people in England can visit, and what the rules are for visiting them.

The green list is made up of countries that the government say are safe enough to travel to WITHOUT having to quarantine or isolate when they return.

The rules are broadly the same across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and previous changes to the lists have been adopted by all four nations.

Fewer than 30 destinations are on the green list - meaning travellers do not have to self-isolate when they get back to the UK but they do have to pay for Covid tests.

More than 50 countries are on the strictest red list, which requires arrivals to pay to self-isolate in a hotel for 10 days.