Covid-19 restrictions are regularly under review and often differ across the UK. After an initial delay, Wales has removed the legal requirement to wear face masks in health and care settings from Monday 30 May. This means there are no remaining Covid restrictions in place and the Covid alert level is now zero.
[Note: we last updated this article in October 2022, and aim to keep up to date with the latest information as we receive it]
Travelling to Wales from abroad
In a UK-wide agreement, all international travel restrictions for inbound travellers to Wales ended on Friday 18 March. This means that:
Vaccinated and Non-vaccinated travellers are not required to complete a Passenger Locator Form.
Proof of vaccination status is not required.
Non-vaccinated travellers do not need to take pre-departure and day two PCR tests.
Outbound travellers from the UK to countries abroad should still check the Covid requirements for their destination.
After 30 May 2022
Welsh Covid-19 restrictions changed on 30 May, ending all safety precautions for the first time in over two years. The country now sits on the lowest tier of Covid regulations - alert level zero - following a drop in the number of cases. The changes mean that:
Legally, you are no longer required to wear face coverings in shops, on public transport, or in health and social care settings. Although it’s not a legal requirement to wear face coverings, the Welsh government still encourage people to do so.
You are not legally required to self-isolate if you have Covid-19, though you will still be urged to do so for at least 5 days. A £500 self-isolation payment will be available until June.
PCR testing will end for the general public. People will still be able to order lateral flow tests free online or by calling 119, but only if they have Covid-19 symptoms.
Businesses, employers and other organisations are not required to undertake a specific coronavirus risk assessments but are encouraged to take reasonable Covid-safe precautions.
Although Covid restrictions have ended in the UK, it’s important to remember that Covid-19 still exists. We all need to do our part to protect ourselves and others.
Restrictions can change quickly, so it’s important to stay up-to-date. If you’re planning to travel to other parts of the UK, remember to look up the Covid-19 guidance for England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
