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• International travel, immigration and repatriation during COVID-19

New system for international travel

Eight countries will move from the red list on 22 September and the rules for international travel to England will change on 4 October 2021.

• new clearer travel system: red list and rest of world
• simpler, cheaper rules for fully vaccinated travellers coming from non-red list countries – fully vaccinated passengers will be able to replace day 2 PCR tests with cheaper lateral flow tests – from the end of October – and no longer need to take pre-departure tests (PDTs)
• 8 destinations removed from red list including Turkey and Pakistan
• government recognises full vaccinations from a further 17 countries and territories including Japan and Singapore

Read the rules for travel to England from 4 October 2021 .

The Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, has today (17 September 2021) announced a simplified system for international travel in light of the success of the UK ’s domestic vaccine rollout, providing greater stability for industry and passengers.

The current traffic light system will be replaced by a single red list of countries and territories which will continue to be crucial in order to protect public health, and simplified travel measures for arrivals from the rest of the world from Monday 4 October at 4am.

Testing requirements will also be reduced for eligible fully vaccinated travellers, who will no longer need to take a PDT when travelling to England from Monday 4 October 4am.

From the end of October, eligible fully vaccinated passengers and those with an approved vaccine from a select group of non-red countries will be able to replace their day 2 test with a cheaper lateral flow test, reducing the cost of tests on arrival into England. The government wants to introduce this by the end of October, aiming to have it in place for when people return from half-term breaks.

Anyone testing positive will need to isolate and take a confirmatory PCR test, at no additional cost to the traveller, which would be genomically sequenced to help identify new variants.

Testing for unvaccinated passengers from non-red countries will include pre-departure tests, day 2 and day 8 PCR tests. Test to release remains an option to reduce self-isolation period.

From 4 October, England will welcome fully vaccinated travellers from a host of new countries – who will be treated like returning fully vaccinated UK travellers – including 17 countries and territories such as Japan and Singapore, following the success of an existing pilot with the US and Europe.

Grant Shapps Transport Secretary said:

Today’s changes mean a simpler, more straightforward system. One with less testing and lower costs, allowing more people to travel, see loved ones or conduct business around the world while providing a boost for the travel industry. Public health has always been at the heart of our international travel policy and with more than 8 in 10 adults vaccinated in the UK , we are now able to introduce a proportionate updated structure that reflects the new landscape.

Part of the third Global Travel Taskforce checkpoint review, today’s update reiterates the government’s focus on protecting its borders from the most dangerous variants and ensures continuity for industry and passengers the remainder of the year. We will look to set out a further review for the UK ’s international travel policy early in the new year to provide further certainty for the spring and summer 2022 seasons.

Conducting the final regular traffic light review before the switch to the new two-tiered system, several additional countries and territories will move off the red list – Turkey, Pakistan, the Maldives, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Oman, Bangladesh and Kenya. Changes will come into effect at 4am Wednesday 22 September.

Passengers who aren’t recognised as being fully vaccinated with authorised vaccines and certificates under England’s international travel rules, will still have to take a pre-departure test , a day 2 and day 8 PCR test and self-isolate for 10 days upon their return from a non-red list country under the new two-tiered travel programme. Test to Release will remain an option for unvaccinated passengers who wish to shorten their isolation period.

Sajid Javid Health and Social Care Secretary said:

Today we have simplified the travel rules to make them easier to understand and follow, opening up tourism and reducing the costs to go abroad. As global vaccination efforts continue to accelerate and more people gain protection from this dreadful disease, it is right that our rules and regulations keep pace.

From late October, we will also be making changes to allow passengers who change flights or international trains during their journey to follow the measures associated to their country of departure, rather than any countries they have transited through as part of their journey.

All passengers will still need to fill in a passenger locator form ahead of travel. Passengers should continue to check GOV. UK travel guidance including FCDO travel advice before, during and after travel to keep up to date in entry requirements and ensure compliance with the latest COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 regulations for the country being visited.

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What you need to know about England's new travel system

Oct 15, 2021 • 4 min read

England is streamlining its international travel rules © travellinglight / Alamy Stock Photo

England streamlined its COVID-19 border rules in early October, replacing the green, amber and red traffic light policy with a "new clearer travel system" and scrapping the two-test rule for people who are fully vaccinated. Traveling or returning to England? Here's what you need to know.

On the back of the UK's successful vaccination campaign, a new system for international travel is now in place. Under the new policy, the previous traffic light system is replaced by a single list of red countries and territories that are considered high-risk in the context of COVID-19. People coming from red-list countries are subject to stricter rules including quarantine. Anywhere not on the red list is considered low-risk and therefore approved for non-essential travel.

New testing requirements

Testing requirements are reduced for most fully vaccinated arrivals from non-red list countries, provided they were vaccinated in the UK, the US, the EU or one of these  50-plus countries and territories . These arrivals will no longer need to take a pre-departure travel test when traveling to England.

TRAVEL UPDATE🔊: we’re making testing easier for travel 🧳💉 From Mon 4 Oct, if you’re fully vax you won’t need a pre-departure test before arrival into England from a non-red country and from later in Oct, will be able to replace the day 2 PCR test with a cheaper lateral flow. — Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) September 17, 2021

However, these passengers will need to book and pay for a day two COVID-19 test  to be taken after arrival in England.

Starting on October 24, full vaccinated passengers and most people under the age of 18⁠—arriving from countries not on the red list⁠—will be able to take a cheaper lateral flow test, instead of a PCR test, on day two of their arrival. The test are available through private providers, which will be listed on gov.uk , and can be booked starting October 22. The move comes just in time for those returning from half-term breaks. 

Travelers will have to take a photo of the test and a booking reference from the private provider, and send it to the provider to verify their test results. Passengers can also book a test at some airports. If a test shows a positive result, the traveler will need to self-isolate and take a PCR test to confirm.

Red list rules

Only British and Irish citizens or UK residents may return to England from red list  countries, but as of October 11, that list has been considerably reduced, from nearly 50 countries to just seven: Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela. "With half-term and winter sun around the corner, we’re making it easier for families and loved ones to reunite, by significantly cutting the number of destinations on the red list, thanks in part to the increased vaccination efforts around the globe," transport secretary Grant Shapps said in a statement. "Restoring people’s confidence in travel is key to rebuilding our economy and levelling up this country. With less restrictions and more people traveling, we can all continue to move safely forward together along our pathway to recovery."

Entry is denied for everyone else from a red-list location unless traveling for essential reasons. Arrivals from red-list countries, including returning citizens, must take a pre-departure test and then quarantine in a government-designated hotel for 10 days at a cost of £2285 per person, as well as taking two more PCR tests on days two and eight of their quarantine period.

Unvaccinated travelers

Under the new policy, unvaccinated passengers need to take tests before departure, on days two and eight of arriving/returning to the UK and will also need to quarantine for 10 days.

Read more: Do you need a visa to go to the United Kingdom?

Traveling with kids

As of mid-October, anyone under the age of 18 traveling from the 50-some countries with UK-approved vaccination programs is exempt from taking a pre-trip test, whether they're vaccinated or not, and all children under the age of 11 are exempt as well, no matter where they're traveling from. 

Children ages 11 to 17 traveling from red list countries have to take a COVID-19 test within three days of their arrival in England. Upon arrival, those aged 5 to 17 are required to quarantine for 10 days and take two tests, while those ages 4 and under are just required to quarantine. All passengers will need to fill in a passenger locator form ahead of travel.

The rest of the UK

Scotland , Northern Ireland and Wales use the same travel system as England, keeping the red list and merging the current green and amber travel lists into one to determine entry policies. Each government's website has more details.   

For more information on the UK's entry requirements, see here .

You might also like: How to get around in England Canada to require vaccinations for travelers 12 years old and over Visiting France with family? Children over the age of 12 must now have a health pass

This article was first published August 2021 and updated October 2021

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'We’re making it easier for families and loved ones to reunite': England relaxes travel restrictions further

LONDON — The British government said Thursday that it is to relax travel rules further next week , a move that will open up many long-distance holiday destinations to travelers for the first time since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic a year and half ago.

As well as dramatically whittling down the number of places from which travelers will be required to quarantine in a hotel, the government said it would r ecognize the vaccination programs of dozens more countries.

In its most dramatic move, it said it will be lifting the hotel quarantine requirement for arrivals to England from 47 countries, including South Africa, Mexico and Thailand. Though the announcement only relates to England, the other nations of the U.K. – Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – have generally followed suit.

► Travel to UK: England set to drop pre-departure testing requirement for vaccinated travelers from US

After the change comes into effect on Monday, there will only be seven countries — Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru and Venezuela — on the so-called “red list,” which requires all passengers to enter hotel quarantine for 11 nights at a cost of 2,285 pounds ($3,100) for individual travelers.

Learn more: Best travel insurance

The changes mean that anyone arriving from the 47 countries removed from the red list will be spared that requirement.

However, they will still need to take a series of coronavirus tests before and after their arrival, and go into self-isolation for ten days unless the British government recognizes a country's vaccination status certificates and the vaccines used. It recognizes the vaccines of AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, as well as their formulations such as AstraZeneca Covishield.

Another 37 countries and territories will be added to that list from Monday, reducing entry requirements from countries like Brazil, Ghana, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Thailand and Turkey.

► UK travel: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland reopen to vaccinated Americans

The decision means eligible fully vaccinated adults and those under 18 entering England from these locations will in effect be treated like fully vaccinated British nationals. They will no longer have to take a pre-departure test, nor a test on the eighth day after arrival and will be spared the period of self-isolation.

With the nights drawing in earlier ahead of the school half-term break later this month, and winter fast-approaching, the changes may well give a boost to the travel industry that's suffered perhaps more than other during the pandemic.

“With half-term and winter sun around the corner, we’re making it easier for families and loved ones to reunite, by significantly cutting the number of destinations on the red list, thanks in part to the increased vaccination efforts around the globe," Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said.

► 'Give us a date': International travelers want to know what 'early November' means for US border reopening

The government also restated its ambition to allow eligible fully-vaccinated arrivals to use a lateral flow test, rather than the more expensive gold standard PCR test, by the end of the month. Travelers, it said, will be able to verify they have completed a lateral flow test by sending a photograph.

British Airways announced it will resume services and increase frequencies to a number of winter destinations removed from the red list, such as Cape Town and Johannesburg, Mexico City, Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires.

“It finally feels like we are seeing light at the end of a very long tunnel," its chief executive Sean Doyle said. “Britain will benefit from this significant reduction in red list countries and now it’s time to turn our attention to eradicating testing for fully-vaccinated travelers to ensure we don’t lose our place on the global stage.”

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Heathrow Border Force strike: What does it mean for your flight?

More than 300 pcs union members plan to walk out from 29 april to 2 may, article bookmarked.

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Hundreds of UK Border Force officers at Heathrow airport plan to strike for four days over what their union calls “an unworkable new roster system”.

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union has called the walk-out of members working for UK Border Force over new rosters that it claims “would see around 250 of them forced out of their jobs at passport control”.

Members voted by a margin of 9-1 in favour of industrial action over the issue.

The stoppage, involving more than 300 PCS members, is scheduled for 29 April to 2 May . It will involve UK Border Force offices working on passport control in all four Heathrow terminals.

These are the key questions and answers.

What is the dispute about?

At the root of the dispute is a controversial new rostering system.

The PCS union says planned alterations to shift patterns “would have a detrimental effect on all the current staff and leave nearly 250 without a job on passport control, including many with disabilities or caring responsibilities”.

The union says: “If they refuse to accept the new contracts, they would be forced to seek jobs elsewhere in the Home Office .”

Wasn’t a similar strike called off?

Yes. In late March the PCS union told the Home Office it had called a strike from 11 to 14 April, at the end of the school holidays for many families. But in what the union called “a spirit of collaboration”, the PCS called off the walk-out a week before it was due to start .

At the time the union’s general secretary, Fran Heathcote, warned: “This does not end the dispute. It is an opportunity for the Home Office to demonstrate they are genuinely seeking a resolution.”

But she later called the new strike, saying: “The Home Office should be doing all it can to retain experienced, trained staff – not lose them by introducing an unworkable new roster system.”

What are the possible effects?

Since UK Border Force staff routinely check only arrivals at airports, rather than departures, the initial impact of the walk-out will be on people landing from abroad at Britain’s busiest airport.

But no one can predict exactly what will happen – especially when flights arrive containing a substantial proportion of passengers who need to be examined by officials.

Were large numbers to build up in the immigration hall of one or more terminals, it is conceivable that airlines would be ordered to delay disembarking new flights to avoid overcrowding.

Such an instruction could feed through to delays, with departing passengers unable board those planes on schedule. There could conceivably be cancellations of some departures.

But the strikes in December 2022 did not have a significant effect.

What does the government say?

A Home Office spokesperson said: “We are disappointed with the union’s decision to strike but remain open to discussing a resolution with PCS union.

“The changes we are implementing will bring the working arrangements for Border Force Heathrow staff in line with the way staff work at other ports, provide them with more certainty on working patterns, and improve the service to the travelling public.

“Keeping our borders secure remains our top priority and we have robust plans in place to minimise any potential disruption.”

What mitigation plans does UK Border Force have?

The Home Office may use techniques as deployed during the last walk-out by UK Border Force in December 2022.

Military personnel and civil servant volunteers were trained to replace the staff who normally check the passports of arriving passengers.

They were not able to provide the same level of service. But the hope among ministers and managers is that with many arrivals able to use eGates, excessive waits can be avoided.

In addition, it is possible that new Minimum Service Level legislation could be used to require a certain proportion of union members to work.

The Independent has asked the Home Office for a response.

What are my rights if my flight is disrupted?

Cash compensation will not be payable, because the issue is beyond the airlines’ control. But they have a duty of care to provide an alternative flight as soon as possible, as well as meals and, if necessary, accommodation while you wait.

Are other strikes threatened at Heathrow?

Yes: 50 aircraft refuellers working at Heathrow airport will walk out for 72 hours from 4 May in a dispute over terms and conditions for new staff. They work for AFS Aviation, which refuels aircraft for Virgin Atlantic , Emirates and Singapore Airlines.

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EU proposing post-Brexit joint youth work and study scheme with UK

According to the Commission, they do not foresee the scheme allowing UK citizens to travel around the Schengen area unimpeded, but rather the visa would only be valid for a single state.

By Adam Parsons, Europe correspondent, and Tim Baker, political reporter

Friday 19 April 2024 00:21, UK

Young people could be able to move more easily between the UK and Europe and stay longer to work, study and train under proposed plans by the European Union

Under the proposal, which has been put forward by the European Commission, new rules would be drawn up to allow for greater movement between the UK and EU countries for people aged between 18 and 30.

Formal negotiations have not yet begun, and a UK source told Sky News no formal proposal had been put forward by Brussels to begin negotiating on.

The proposal will be further discussed by the European Council, which represents all the nations, before negotiations start in earnest.

Politics latest: Police issues Mark Menzies update

The plans proposed by the EU would allow young people to stay in Europe for periods of four years, with the same rules extended to EU citizens coming to Britain.

It would also mean EU students paying the same fees as British ones. Since Brexit , UK universities have charged much higher fees to European students.

More on Brexit

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Related Topics:

• European Union

Announcing the move, the European Commission said it wanted to take an "innovative" approach to tackling the barriers experienced by young people looking to travel from the EU to the UK and vice versa for longer periods.

"The objective would be to facilitate youth exchanges, making it easier for young citizens to travel, work and live in the UK, with reciprocity for young UK nationals in a member state," said the Commission, in a statement.

"The United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union has hit young people in the EU and UK who would like to study, work and live abroad particularly hard," claimed Maros Sefcovic, the Commission's vice-president who oversees relations with the UK.

"Our aim is to rebuild human bridges between young Europeans on both sides of the Channel."

This scheme is separate to the 90-day visa-less travel that UK citizens can take advantage of on the continent.

It added: "It is not about conferring to young UK nationals the benefits of the fundamental freedom of movement enjoyed by EU citizens."

However, visas would not be "purpose-bound" and would allow people to work, travel or study.

Read more: UK to rejoin EU Horizon programme through new agreement New Brexit border post could be demolished

Rather than just being a free exchange, the EU also says it wants people taking part in the scheme to be subject to checks with the bloc or the UK able to reject applications - for example if someone was thought to be a threat to public policy, security or health.

The UK government currently has a series of agreements with 13 individual countries - including New Zealand, South Korea, Andorra, Iceland and India, which provide a similar pathway to what the EU is proposing.

The government has said it is open to the idea of extending those agreements with European countries, but has shied away from doing a pan-EU deal and there will be those who fear that an agreement such as this would be the first step towards the UK being drawn into a "freedom of movement" deal.

The EU said it wants a group deal to "ensure that all member states are treated equally in respect of mobility of young people to the UK" - but the current government seems to prefer its current set of agreements.

The Commission has rejected these fears, with sources insisting there is no intention of either pulling the UK into such a deal, or even offering it.

A Number 10 spokesperson said: "We have spoken about wanting to reduce legal migration and also about wanting to support UK talent and skills and that's why we have a system in place whereby we have a number of agreements with individual EU member states where that works in our interests and we have that rather than a Commission-wide agreement."

Labour denied it had plans for a youth mobility scheme.

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Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, a trade body representing the hospitality sector in the UK, welcomed the move.

She said: "Such an agreement would be a huge success for hospitality and tourism and, practically, it would solve challenges for the live music and events sectors."

Related Topics

Tipping law to come into effect this October amid fears it will pile further pressure on hospitality

A s of October, employers will no longer be allowed to hold back service charges from their staff, amid fears the legislation could place further pressure on hospitality businesses .

The Employment Allocation of Tips Act ensures staff in hospitality and other roles receive all of the tips they have earned.

These new measures will apply to England, Scotland and Wales once parliamentary approval has been secured. 

Commenting on Monday, Kevin Hollinrake, business and trade minister said: “It is not right for employers to withhold tips from their hard-working employees. 

“Whether you are cutting hair or pulling a pint, this government’s legislation will protect the tips of workers and give consumers confidence that when they leave a tip, it goes to the hardworking members of staff.”

He added: “The secondary legislation laid today reinforces our commitment to legally protecting our low-paid workers and ensuring a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.”

Government officials said the move would put £200m more into workers’ pockets – but restaurants and the wider hospitality sector fear it could add to costs amid a period of high inflation. 

Earlier this month, a London restaurant chain banned customers from paying a tip by card and introduced a 15 per cent “brand” fee instead. 

Ping Pong, which operates five dim sum outlets in the capital, said the new optional charge would go towards “franchise fees and other brand-related expenditure”. 

The fee will replace a 12.5 per cent service charge, 90 per cent of which went to staff.

To compensate, staff at the franchise will be offered a pay rise which the company said would match the earnings they would have received from the service charge distribution .

Art Sagiryan, Ping Pong’s chief executive, told The Times , that the government had “completely ignored the huge costs that are related to operating the new system”.

He said: “Everyone in the industry is waiting to see who does what. There will be people introducing cover charges, there will be people introducing higher bills or menu prices, and we in the interim are trying to decide where we will go.”

It comes amid a challenging period for the hospitality sector, which has been one of the slowest sectors to recover from the pandemic .

London restaurant chain Ping Pong bans staff tips on card and introduces ‘brand fee’

The best dog-friendly hotels around the UK

Take a break with your four-legged friend in accommodation that offers you both a warm welcome

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If you treat your dog like one of the family at home, for your next getaway choose a dog-friendly hotel, where all pooches are guaranteed to be pampered.

Gara Rock, Salcombe, Devon

Canine guests are welcome in the restaurant at Gara Rock

Set "atop a high, jagged peninsula" just outside Salcombe, Gara Rock has an "undeniably Soho Farmhouse vibe", said Condé Nast Traveller . Most rooms are dog-friendly – including some suites – as well as the lounge and the restaurant. Along the South West Coast Path , there are "wide expanses of beaches for splashing about in with abandon", although "the dogs may find the temperatures a little less daunting than the humans", said Good Housekeeping . In need of sustenance? Head for "the 'Garavan', on hand to dispense coffees, drinks and snacks for owners, with water bowls and pet-friendly treats available too". 

gararock.com

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St Michaels Resort, Falmouth, Cornwall

The beach is 'right on the hotel's doorstep' at St Michaels Resort

St Michaels Resort is one of Cornwall's "most affordable and easy going hotels", said The Telegraph . Swanpool Beach and the town centre are a 15-minute walk away, while the coastal path and Gyllyngvase Beach are "right on the hotel's doorstep". A handful of the resort's rooms and beach residences are suitable for pets. The location makes for "easy early-morning and sunset walks on the sand", said The Observer , and "dogs are welcomed with pet beds, towels, treats and a doggie guide to local attractions".

stmichaelsresort.com

Fowey Hall, Fowey, Cornwall

Home from home at Fowey Hall

"This laidback yet luxurious" dog-friendly hotel blends "contemporary chic with coastal charm", said Good Housekeeping. You'll find everything your pet could want, including a blanket and bowls as well as a "personalised little gift bag containing dog treats, dog tennis balls, and poop bags". Reopened after extensive renovations in 2021, it "manages to intertwine grandeur and elegance with an achingly cool zeitgeisty atmosphere", said Condé Nast Traveller, featuring "opulent bedrooms" and "intimate alcoves tucked beside roaring fires". Outside, the hotel grounds and nearby dog-friendly beaches are "bound to ensure that four-legged residents sleep deeply come evening".

luxuryfamilyhotels.co.uk/fowey-hall

The Fife Arms, Braemar, Highlands

Four-legged friends find a warm welcome at the Fife Arms

Run by Iwan and Manuela Wirth – "arguably the most influential contemporary art dealers in the world", said Condé Nast Traveller – this former hunting lodge near Balmoral Castle in Scotland is their first hotel venture. Dog-friendly rooms are on the first floor, "furnished with food and water bowls, a special Fife Arms dog bed, a welcome package of treats and a turndown gift". The setting is "a playground for dogs", said The Telegraph, and "four-legged friends are welcome in The Flying Stag", a "jolly and noisy" bar serving "gently upgraded pub favourites like buckeye rarebit or Highland beef and bone marrow burger". 

thefifearms.com

The Retreat at Elcot Park, Berkshire

Explore the expansive grounds at The Retreat at Elcot Park

This "Regency pile" is "affordable, fun and unstuffy", said The Times . It's situated close to Newbury, with "expansive grounds for pets to roam" and nearby walking trails, said Good Housekeeping. Dog-friendly rooms come with a welcome pack and have "access directly onto the grounds", said Condé Nast Traveller, and the Atlas Room and the Orangery restaurants "permit your pet to dine alongside you". For owners, there's a spa and outdoor pool to enjoy too. 

retreatelcotpark.com

Grove of Narberth, Narberth, Pembrokeshire

Enjoy a well-earned rest at Grove of Narberth

Grove of Narberth is set among the "undulating greenery of Pembrokeshire" with, "in the distance, the Preseli mountains", said Condé Nast Traveller. This is "Pembrokeshire's smartest country house hotel", said The Telegraph, in a "thoroughly rural and peaceful spot near the pretty little town of Narberth". Its "pet-friendly amenities include towels, blankets, treats and a special menu". Dogs are welcome in six rooms, which all have gardens, a terrace or access to open spaces. 

grovenarberth.co.uk

Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire, Winchfield, Hampshire

A 'special doggy afternoon tea' is served at the Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire

"This Georgian manor house and estate is a Hampshire hidden gem," said The Telegraph, and it's ideal for dogs, with "500 acres of beautiful surrounding countryside to frolic around in". Dogs are given "beds, bowls, treats, spring water and even grooming products", and the "doormen are ready to dispense bags for walkies or arrange dog sitting", said Country Living . Pets are welcome everywhere except the Wild Carrot restaurant, but "that shouldn't be a problem" as the room-service menu has a "dedicated pet section" and the library bar serves a "special doggy afternoon tea". 

fourseasons.com/hampshire

The Fish Hotel, Broadway, Worcestershire

Wash the mud off at The Fish Hotel

This "back-to-nature bolthole sprawls across a 400-acre estate in the Cotswolds", said Condé Nast Traveller. It has a "cluster of quirky country houses, shepherd's huts and treehouses" that feel "romantic, cosy and Scandi-cool" in equal parts. "Tails will be wagging at the idea of so much space on the doorstep", said Good Housekeeping. Every dog receives "its own cosy dog bed in the room, two dog bowls, doggie treats and a dog towel", and there are other canine comforts including "a dog bathtub and shampoo for post-walk washing, a dog agility course, a boot room with spare tennis balls and dog walking maps, and doggy afternoon teas at The Lounge", said The Telegraph. 

thefishhotel.co.uk

The Mitre Hotel, East Molesey, Surrey

A family room at The Mitre Hotel

"Once a 'hostel' for Hampton Court Palace guests", said The Telegraph, this is now a "characterful boutique hotel filled with wonderful antiques, stylishly designed rooms, hand-painted de Gournay wallpaper and the odd nod to King Henry VIII himself". Across the Thames from Hampton Court Palace, The Mitre has "canine-friendly rooms on the ground floor" with "access to an outdoor terrace", said Condé Nast Traveller, and a welcome pack (bed, bowl, poop bags and treats) on arrival. Dogs can accompany owners to the Coppernose restaurant, "set in a rotunda with Thames views", and there's also a "sizeable river terrace and Orangery space". You'll find "good walks along the footpath past the palace", or next door in Bushy Park, although "be mindful of the deer during rutting season".

mitrehamptoncourt.com

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Adrienne Wyper has been a freelance sub-editor and writer for The Week's website and magazine since 2015. As a travel and lifestyle journalist, she has also written and edited for other titles including BBC Countryfile, British Travel Journal, Coast, Country Living, Country Walking, Good Housekeeping, The Independent, The Lady and Woman’s Own.

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UK home secretary to visit Italy to discuss stopping migrants arriving on boats

British Home Secretary James Cleverly, left, and Defence Secretary Grant Shapps attend a press conference by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Downing Street, in London, Monday, April 22, 2024. Sunak pledged Monday that the country’s first deportation flights to Rwanda could leave in 10-12 weeks as he promised to end the Parliamentary deadlock over a key policy promise before an election expected later this year. (Toby Melville/Pool Photo via AP)

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LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Home Secretary, James Cleverly, is visiting Italy as part of the U.K. government’s efforts to crack down on migrants arriving by small boats.

Cleverly will meet his Italian counterpart, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, and discuss how Italy and Britain can expand their joint work to stop migrants in north Africa from making often perilous journeys across the Mediterranean Sea, officials said Tuesday.

Cleverly will also visit Lampedusa , the southernmost island of Italy which receives the majority of migrants arriving in the country. In September, some 7,000 people arrived from Tunisia on the tiny island in a span of roughly 24 hours, overwhelming the local migrant reception center.

The visit comes as British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stepped up his calls for the U.K. Parliament to approve his plan to deport some asylum-seekers to Rwanda.

Sunak signed a deal with the east Africa nation two years ago and insisted that his deportation plan is a key deterrent that will help “stop the boats” — small unseaworthy vessels carrying migrants across the English Channel. But the proposal has been repeatedly blocked by court rulings and human rights campaigners who say it is illegal and inhumane.

British officials say the U.K. and Italy are both “global leaders in forging bold and novel solutions to illegal migration.”

“Our countries have shown we are willing to challenge the status quo and use innovative solutions to tackle the issues, while ferociously going after the people-smuggling gangs,” Cleverly said in a statement.

His office referred to a five-year deal recently agreed between Italy and Albania that will see Albania — which is not part of the European Union — house up to 3,000 migrants in two centers for Italy while their asylum requests are being processed.

Like Sunak’s Rwanda plan, that deal was also widely criticized by rights groups.