London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 22, 2025

Ministers to cut ‘red list’ countries by up to half to simplify England’s travel rules

Ministers to cut ‘red list’ countries by up to half to simplify England’s travel rules

Further change will see amber tier removed to make clearer distinction between government’s ‘go’ and ‘no go’ destinations
Ministers are to slash the number of “red list” countries by up to half as part of plans to simplify England’s rules for international travel, with sources claiming it would incentivise vaccination.

The traffic light system will be overhauled, with the amber tier removed so there is a clearer distinction between “go” and “no go” destinations.

Those who have been double-jabbed are likely to be able to escape quarantine – or the need for costly PCR testing – upon arrival, while unvaccinated passengers will still face those hurdles.

“It will be made much simpler, particularly for those who are double-vaxxed,” a government source said.

It is understood the new red list is likely to be focused on countries where there is a significant concern about Covid variants.

Government insiders said the ultimate aim was to simplify the rules, after Labour called for the amber list to be scrapped in order to clarify guidance on which destinations are relatively safe and which are not.

However, they also admitted it would have the effect of providing a greater incentive to the 10% of those eligible to be vaccinated who have not yet had their first jab, given the extra money people will have to fork out for a PCR test instead of a cheaper lateral flow one, as well as avoiding the hassle of having to self-isolate.

For those returning from red-list countries, quarantine hotels are expected to remain in place. However, the number of destinations on the red list is expected to be reduced significantly, with a senior government source indicating it could be as much as half.

Ministers will gather on Friday morning to sign off the plans and an announcement is expected later that afternoon. The process usually takes place every three weeks on a Thursday or Wednesday, but it is understood to have been delayed due to the reshuffle.

The decision will also be watched closely to see whether the composition of so-called “dove” and “hawk” cabinet ministers – those who are more cautious versus others who want a speedier relaxing of restrictions – has changed with the appointment of Liz Truss as foreign secretary and the bringing into cabinet of Nadhim Zahawi, Anne-Marie Trevelyan and Nadine Dorries.

Currently, scientists working at the Joint Biosecurity Centre suggest changes to the three lists depending on each country’s Covid case, vaccine and variant levels, though ministers vet these and make the ultimate decisions. They have been accused previously by data experts of not being transparent enough about what information they use and being inconsistent in the methodology behind triggering a country’s move from one list to another.

Coronavirus data analyst Tim White said predicting which countries would be moved was a “travel lottery” and that “no one can be sure”. But he added: “The data firmly support Turkey being removed, as it has no threat of variants and a lot of genomic sequencing.”

While the red, amber and green lists are looked at regularly, there were three review points designed to look at whether wholesale change of the current travel rules were needed. The last – 31 July – saw the dropping of the quarantine requirement for double-vaccinated people returning from amber list countries. The next is scheduled for 1 October.

Some of those who have been double-jabbed outside the UK will also be hopeful that the government makes good on its pledge for people who are still registered with a GP to be able to have this added to their NHS vaccine record.

Nadhim Zahawi, then vaccines minister and now education secretary, pledged in July: “By the end of this month, UK nationals who have been vaccinated overseas will be able to talk to their GP, go through what vaccine they have had, and have it registered with the NHS that they have been vaccinated.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
Bessent Accuses China of Dragging Down Global Economy Amid New Trade Curbs
U.S. Revokes Visas of Foreign Nationals Who ‘Celebrated’ Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai
×