Advice please on Extended family support bubble England and Scotland

[Muffinpuffin]

Hi,

I'm hoping someone can please advise me on this.

I am currently living in the West Midlands and my parents are in Scotland. I'm currently living alone here as have just gone through a break up and am having a pretty difficult time with my mental health.

My question is, would I be allowed to travel up from Birmingham to Scotland after boxing day to visit my family as part of an extended family support bubble? I had previously dismissed the idea as I knew the Christmas restrictions mean that there can only be mixing on xmas day, but the support bubble is a different concept to the Christmas bubble and would effectively allow us to act as one household right? it seems I can go?

Any advice appreciated.

Thank you

I think you would as a support bubble as you're a single person joining their household

Thanks thats what I think as well. It's just so confusing with all the different rules... Unfortunately I have now missed the chance to have Christmas with my family but I would love to see them after boxing day if I can, as am now spending Christmas completely alone

www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-protection-levels/pages/protection-level-4/

The guidance says you can see your extended household even if they are in a different level or change levels. So it would be fine. You do act as one household, yes.

Should have added that I hope you are managing today. I don’t think it is much like a normal Christmas for many people

@KatySun Thank you, yes it actually surprisingly hasn't been so bad, prosecco has helped too! Hope you have an amazing Christmas as well x

Yes that would be okay as long as you or your parents have not had anyone else as your extended household. They aren't meant to be switched.

However I think for the sake of your mental health you should go regardless of the answer above.

Take care x

It's not allowed as you are not allowed to travel from England to Scotland or Scotland to England even for support bubble purposes. I am a single parent and was not allowed to travel to stay with my support bubble in England. You can risk it but may get stopped by the police at the border. You will be unable to fly, or take public transport unless you have a letter or other evidence to say why your journey is essential.

One of the exceptions is two parts of an extended household HappyPumpkin
www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-travel-and-transport/#exceptions

It is the paragraph which says travel to participate in or facilitate shared parenting or as part of an extended household. So if the police are not letting people through for their extended household, then either this page is out of date or the law is wrong.

*sorry that should have said or the police are wrong...

Yes you are allowed. Our local MP has just posted information of this on the local FB pages.

@HappyPumpkin81

It's not allowed as you are not allowed to travel from England to Scotland or Scotland to England even for support bubble purposes. I am a single parent and was not allowed to travel to stay with my support bubble in England. You can risk it but may get stopped by the police at the border. You will be unable to fly, or take public transport unless you have a letter or other evidence to say why your journey is essential.

Not true. I crossed the border on 17th on plane to London. Plane was busy and nobody questioned. Regular flights fron london twice a day then megabus is going everywhere.

@Torvean32 I had a flight booked to Birmingham on the 21st. It was cancelled and you were not allowed to rebook without evidence of essential travel, I.e. keyworker id and a note from my employer. Maybe the rules are different if you are Scottish living in Scotland and want to travel to England.

Thanks all for your advice, I wish this had all been clearer from the beginning and then wouldn't have had to miss Christmas unfortunately I wont be able to make it back this time but will try and return in late January, if I am still (kind of) allowed then!! As an aside it does seem that travel between Scotland and England is going unchecked as someone I know travelled from tier 4 London to Scotland on Christmas Eve by train...Soo...

@HappyPumpkin81

It's not allowed as you are not allowed to travel from England to Scotland or Scotland to England even for support bubble purposes. I am a single parent and was not allowed to travel to stay with my support bubble in England. You can risk it but may get stopped by the police at the border. You will be unable to fly, or take public transport unless you have a letter or other evidence to say why your journey is essential.

Not true and there are no police border checks. This has been widely publicised in the media

You can risk it but may get stopped by the police at the border.

There are no police at the border.

You will be unable to fly, or take public transport unless you have a letter or other evidence to say why your journey is essential.

Can you link to your source?

I traveled from Scotland to England on 17th came back on 28th.I was suppossed to get 2 flights but one was cancelled. So i had to get a flight then the bus. I was not questioned at any time. I did not see anybody else being questioned either.