Travel with children: does my child need to take a test before going on holiday?

Travel abroad for leisure is set to reopen on May 17, with travellers now able to visit 12 countries without needing to self-isolate on their return.

Many hardworking families could be priced out of international travel, however, with tests required before and after travel.

While travel companies have driven down the price of PCR tests, costs for large families could mount up to £100s of pounds on top of the usual travel expenses.

Here’s what you need to know about travelling with children.

Does my child need to take a test?

Children under 11 do not need to take a COVID-19 test before travelling.

Children aged between 11 and 18, however, must take a COVID-19 test before travelling.

Proof of the child's negative test result must be shown by an adult travelling with the child upon arrival in Scotland.

Do my child and I need a vaccine passport?

The UK has not yet officially launched a vaccine passport, but Grant Shapps has hinted that they could be with us in early summer.

Speaking on April 28 the transport secretary suggested that the passports may be released to coincide with the G7 summit in Cornwall in early June.

He said that the app would take the form of an NHS app and would rule out the need to quarantine in some countries.

At this stage it remains unclear whether children would also be required to use a vaccine passport in order to avoid a period of quarantine.

According the Metro, children as young as 12 could receive their vaccine in autumn.

Where can my family and I go on holiday?

Holidays abroad are allowed for people in England from 17 May, under the government’s roadmap out of lockdown.

That means that people will be permitted to jet away for some sun in another country this month.

But holidaymakers will have to choose from a small list of countries if they don’t want to quarantine after they come back to England.

Twelve countries have been added to the green list so far.

People in England will be able to travel to the following places from 17 May:

- Portugal

- Israel

- Singapore

- Australia

- New Zealand

- Brunei

- Iceland

- Gibraltar

- Falkland Islands

- Faroe Islands

- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

- St Helena, Tristan de Cunha, Ascension Island.