Herald - Issue 406

Page 58 • The HERALD • 13th May 2021 v THE NEXT HERALD IS OUT ON 3RD JUNE v ASK A PROFESSIONAL NP Bookkeeping & Accounting • Bookkeeping, VAT, Payroll • Streamlined Services & Free consultation • Insured & Certified 07742 613615 or nandie.pretorius@np-bookkeeping.co.uk Building Plans & Estimating Building Plans for Planning & Building Regulation approval Builders Estimating Service Free initial meeting and estimate CAD drawings produced on latest software Please call Bob on 07795 692060 Email abbott.bob@sky.com A er the Prime Minister reiterated that international travel is still banned, there is some confusion on when, and if, UK travellers will get abroad this year. It is clear, however, that the Government roadmap for England o ered the possibility for a staycation from 12th April, even though the decision on foreign travel has been delayed until 17th May. With campsites, caravan parks, rental cottages, and other ‘self- contained accommodation’ set to reopen, many of us will be searching for socially distanced staycations that will allow us to shake o that cabin fever. However, anyone travelling abroad will be taking a risk. e FCDO has not li ed its advice that only essential travel should be taken at the moment by UK travellers, and while this advice stays in place, travel insurers will not cover your trip. e UK economy is still su ering so this could be a chance to boost the ailing UK tourist trade and help small businesses return to some kind of normality and save the summer. Fiona Macrae, head of consumer awareness initiative, travelinsuranceexplained.co.uk explains why travel insurance is still important even if you are holidaying in the UK and highlights that added nancial protection is now available to cover COVID-19: What is a staycation and what are the benefits? To put it simply, a staycation is a holiday spent in your own country. e concept is an increasingly popular trend across the UK. In 2018, over 45.2 million staycations were taken in England alone, two-thirds consisted of fewer than three-night stays, whereas one-third consisted of over four nights breaks. Visit Britain noted in its GB Tourist 2018 Report that expenditure on this holiday tourism reached £11.1bn. According to ABTA, nearly three quarters (72%) of us enjoyed a staycation between October 2018 and October 2019 – up 4% on the previous year. ABTA also revealed that the most popular countryside and coastal locations include Cornwall, Devon, Bournemouth, Norfolk, and the Lake District. Do I need insurance for a UK-based holiday? anks to the NHS, medical costs are free in the UK, thereby removing the need for medical treatment to be covered during a domestic holiday. Having said that, there are still factors related to potential unforeseen events. Although di erent from a policy designed for a foreign trip, the core elements of UK-based cover will be included as standard. One example is cancellation cover, and if the only optionfor the Brits this summer is a UK holiday, then prices could increase. So, make sure you have a travel insurance policy that covers you for cancellation for any kind of UK holiday. Many staycation policies now include cover for factors relating to COVID-19. For example, cover for cancellation if anyone on the policy catches COVID-19 before the trip and has to isolate, as well as a bene t if you fall ill with Continued on page 59 UK STAYCATIONS: