London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2026

What are the UK's 'Living with Covid' plans?

What are the UK's 'Living with Covid' plans?

Almost exactly two years after they were first introduced, the last remaining Covid restrictions are coming to an end across the UK.

England and Northern Ireland have already removed all remaining laws, and Scotland and Wales will follow suit by the end of March.

However, a few guidelines remain in place.

What is the situation in England now?


The government set out its "Living with Covid" plan earlier this year.

*  if you test positively for Covid you are no longer legally required to self-isolate, but you are advised to stay at home and avoid contact with others for at least five full days

*  masks are no longer legally required in most public spaces - although they are still required in healthcare settings, such as GP surgeries, hospitals and care homes

From 1 April:

*  lateral flow tests (LFTs) will no longer be free, except for the over-75s and over-12s with weakened immune systems - everyone else will have to buy them from pharmacist or other retailers

*  the NHS Covid pass will no longer be recognised as a "vaccine passport" within the UK

All of England's remaining international travel restrictions - including the requirement to complete passenger locator forms - are also expected to be scrapped.

Over-75s and people with a weakened immune system are also being offered an extra Covid booster jab this spring, six months after their previous dose.

How are the rules changing in Wales?


Wales expects to scrap all remaining Covid restrictions from 28 March, but will maintain some testing measures until July.

*  PCR tests will no longer be freely available for the general public

*  LFTs will be available online for free - but only for testing people who have symptoms

*  people will be advised to get an LFT if they have symptoms and isolate if positive

*  contact tracing will continue

From the end of June:

*  LFTs will cease to be available for testing people with symptoms

*  contact tracing and self-isolation support payments will end

*  self-isolation guidance will be changed to advise take additional precautions when ill, such as staying at home if possible

How are the rules changing in Scotland?


Scotland's Covid certification scheme ended on Monday, 28 February, although businesses and venues can still keep using it if they want.

Secondary school pupils are still required to wear face masks in corridors.

From 21 March:

*  masks will no longer be legally required on public transport and indoor venues (although their use will still be "strongly recommended")

*  businesses, places of worship and service providers will no longer have to follow government guidance on measures to avoid Covid

*  there will be no requirement for businesses and service providers to keep customer contact details

*  people who test positive will still be required to self-isolate, although the length of quarantine is being kept under review

*  The Scottish government says that free Covid testing will continue in some form beyond April

The current restrictions include:

* shops and businesses need to take measures to limit the spread of Covid

*  face coverings are compulsory on public transport and most indoor spaces, including shops and secondary schools

*  a 2m (6ft) distancing rule remains in place in healthcare settings such as hospitals, doctors' surgeries and dentists


How are the rules changing in Northern Ireland?

Covid certificates for nightclubs, mandatory face coverings, track and trace requirements and the cap on 30 people in private homes are no longer legal requirements.

Legal measures have been replaced by guidance, which recommends that face masks are still worn in certain places, such as enclosed public spaces and health and social care settings.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Sarah Wakfer Appointed Chair of Northern Ireland’s Health and Care Regulator
Scotland Housing Completions Fall to 11-Year Low Amid National Shortage
UK Water Companies Face Tougher Oversight and Unannounced Regulatory Inspections
Middle East Conflict Pushes UK Fuel and Wholesale Energy Prices Higher
Andy Burnham Raises Prospect of Second Brexit Referendum in Review of UK-EU Relations
EY Warns UK Fiscal Headroom Has Halved to £11 Billion Ahead of Autumn Budget
BT Accused of Pressuring Vulnerable Customers During Digital Landline Shift
British Carmakers Warn of Growing Pressure From EU-China Tariff Dispute
Green Party of England and Wales Adopts Motion Defining Zionism as Racism
Medical Charity Threatens NHS Legal Action Over Two-Year Autism and ADHD Assessment Waits
British Transport Police Report Record Rise in Violence on Railways
Glasgow Council Workers Face Pay Cuts Under Fire-and-Rehire Plan
British Medical Groups Press Prime Minister Andy Burnham to Cancel £330 Million Palantir NHS Contract
UK Faces Record Bluetongue Outbreak Across Livestock Farms
UK Schools Report Thousands of Child-on-Child Sexual Offences
High Court Overturns Ban Blocking Gaza Families From Reuniting With Relatives in UK
G7 Authorizes Emergency Fuel Release as UK Diesel Prices Hit £2 a Litre
France and Italy Draw 1-1 in Nations League Match
Pope Leo XIV and Prince Albert II of Monaco Meet in Metz
SNCF Expands Low-Cost Ouigo High-Speed Service Between Lyon and Bordeaux
Paris Expands Dedicated Cargo Bike Routes for Urban Deliveries
French Film Industry Pushes for Tighter Streaming Investment Rules
Marseille Court Hands Down Prison Terms in Public Procurement Corruption Case
LVMH and Kering Rely on US Demand as Chinese Luxury Spending Slows
Toulouse Aerospace Sector Launches €80 Million Modernization Fund
Javier Milei Courts French Investment in LNG and Lithium
Mistral AI Launches Sovereign Model for European Public Services
French Competition Authority Fines Retailers €40 Million Over Misleading Promotions
France Records Exceptional Electricity Exports as Nuclear Output Recovers
Dassault Aviation Expands Rafale Assembly Capacity at Mérignac
Sanofi Invests €1 Billion in New Biologics Production Hub Near Lyon
France Protests Germany’s Extension of Border Controls Into 2027
French Public-Sector and Transport Unions Threaten National Strike
France Deploys Riot Police After Violence in Lyon Suburbs
French Anti-Terrorism Prosecutors Investigate Radicalized Flydubai Co-Pilot
France’s Defense Budget Surpasses NATO’s 2% of GDP Target
French Government Faces No-Confidence Threat Over Budget
France and G7 Release 100 Million Barrels From Strategic Oil Reserves
France Convenes Emergency Defense Council Over Threats to Commercial Shipping
France and Germany Coordinate Military Response After Russian Strikes on Kyiv Infrastructure
UK Police Release Six Iranian Nationals on Bail After RAF Fairford Security Alert
UK Business Confidence Falls as Energy Costs and Tax Uncertainty Rise
Cornwall Insight Warns UK Energy Bills Could Rise 16% in January
UK Introduces Zero VAT on Household Electricity Bills
UK 30-Year Gilt Yield Hits 6% as Bond Market Pressures Intensify
UK Introduces Stricter Subcontractor Checks and Expanded Trade Union Access
Green Party Proposes Three-Year Emergency Freeze on Private Rent Increases
UK Treasury Committee Seeks Tax Clarification Over Manchester City Investigation
Royal Marines Deploy to Faroe Islands for Northern European Security Exercise
UK Business Confidence Weakens as High Costs Delay Investment
×