While overseas travel is currently only permitted for essential reasons, we are aware that some employees are travelling for work purposes, while some business units in the UK require contractors from other countries.

Please be aware of the changing restrictions around travel, particularly the increasing number of countries being added to the UK’s ‘red list’, aimed to prevent spread of the variant from South Africa. As of 4am on Friday, the UAE (which includes Dubai), Burundi and Rwanda were added to the list.

The UK travel ban list mainly covers countries in South America and southern Africa as well as Portugal and Cape Verde. People who have been in or transited through the countries on the list in the last 10 days will not be granted access to the UK. This does not include British and Irish Nationals, or third country nationals with residence rights in the UK, who will be able to enter the UK but are required to self-isolate for 10 days on arrival along with their household.

Additionally, the Government is soon going to implement new measures which mean all arrivals to the UK from countries on the ‘red list’ will be required to quarantine in hotels for 10 days on their arrival, without exception. These new measures will impact any employees returning to the UK, or contractors travelling to the UK for work. Please take this into consideration when making any plans and speak to your HR Business Partner if you have any questions.

For the complete list of countries subject to the travel ban, visit here