Spain quarantine: 'No travel is risk free' during coronavirus pandemic, No 10 warns

Downing Street has warned that “no travel is risk-free” during the coronavirus pandemic, as the prime minister’s official spokesman confirmed that other countries could follow Spain in seeing the reimposition of quarantines.

Britons considering holidays abroad should keep a close eye on official guidance on countries exempt from the requirement for a 14-day period of self-isolation on return, but this could be changed “rapidly” in order to prevent the renewed spread of Covid-19 to the UK from hotspots overseas, said Boris Johnson’s spokesman.

He confirmed that ministers - including transport secretary Grant Shapps, who is currently in Spain - will be subject to the same restrictions as others, and confirmed that so far only three £100 fixed penalty notices have been issued at UK borders for breaches of quarantine rules. The National Police Chiefs Council today said forces have issued just one fine for failing to comply with a quarantine after returning home.

While no figures were available for numbers of people under quarantine, the spokesman said there had been "a high level of compliance,” with most travellers following the guidance voluntarily “because they want to help control the spread of the virus”.

The PM's spokesman said the government was not planning to provide statutory sick pay to those forced to suspend work due to quarantine on return from overseas.

Anyone who is not supported by their employer during the 14-day enforced stay at home after their holidays can apply for welfare benefits such as Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit, he said.

Asked what the government’s advice would be to anyone considering a trip abroad to one of the countries on which quarantine was lifted earlier this month, Mr Johnson’s spokesman told a Westminster media briefing: “No travel is risk-free and disruption is possible and anyone travelling abroad should be aware that our travel advice and exemption list is under constant review as we monitor the international situation.”

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is advising against non-essential travel to mainland Spain, while travellers returning to or visiting the UK from Spain, including its islands, must self-isolate for 14 days.

There are fears more European holidays could be thrown into disarray this summer with reports of potential new coronavirus lockdowns in France and Germany.

The government is facing calls to improve financial support for workers forced to stay home for a fortnight because of quarantine, with the TUC saying they should be eligible for an enhanced sick pay at the £320-a-week rate of the real living wage.

Labour's shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds said: "The government knows you can’t live on less than £100 a week if you have to self-isolate with Covid-19, but it's done nothing to boost sick pay in over four months.

"Now it’s telling returning holidaymakers to self-isolate without any support. Once again ministers are just crossing their fingers and hoping employers will do the right thing.

"It's another abdication of responsibility from a government that can't get a grip on this health crisis."

But the PM's spokesman said statutory sick pay was not being made available to those returning from Spain, and said merely that the government hopes employers will be “flexible” in allowing staff to work from home while self-isolating.

“Where this isn’t possible we would expect that many employers would have their own policies in place for quarantine and we know that some continue to offer full pay for all or some of the isolation period,” he added.

“But if there are people who need urgent support then they may be entitled to the new-style employment support allowance or Universal Credit.”

The spokesman said workers who lose their jobs because they are quarantining after returning from Spain could appeal to the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas).

ESA payments are worth up to £74 a week while a claim is being assessed, while UC is paid at up to £410 a month for a single person and £594 for a couple, with lower rates for under-25s.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: "No-one should suffer financially for following official advice to quarantine. It's not holidaymakers’ fault that the guidance has changed.

"Wherever possible, employers should do the right thing and pay quarantined workers their full pay.

"The government must also make it clear that people who can't work from home during quarantine will be eligible for statutory sick pay. And they should increase sick pay from £95 a week to at least the level of the real living wage of £320 a week.

"In addition, ministers should change the law to stop employers from sacking quarantined workers."