There are many things to remember when travelling outside the UK – as well as passport & visa requirements there is healthcare, currency and credit/debit card costs.
COVID19 TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
International air travel may still be restricted because of domestic regulations. Other countries may restrict movement, bring in new quarantine rules or even close borders depending on their current situation.
Before planning any travel check the current restrictions at:
NHS Healthcare Abroad
While you are abroad, you may be entitled to medical care at reduced cost or sometimes free. Your entitlement will vary based on whether you're going to a European Economic Area country (EEA) or elsewhere in the world.
The rules on travelling now the UK has left the European Union (EU) changed on January 1st 2021. Details of the changes are available at the following link:
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)
An EHIC gives you the right to access state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland.
As a result of the BREXIT deal the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is to be slowly replaced by the UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC).
You can no longer apply for or renew an EHIC card.
If you already have an EHIC card you do not need to apply for a GHIC card until your EHIC card expires.
More information on healthcare abroad including how to apply for an GHIC is available at
Staying cool in high temperatures
High temperatures can be dangerous to your health. Find advice and tips on how to stay cool at ageUK.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance can provide you with financial and practical help if something goes wrong on your trip.
Travel insurance could pay for lost luggage, medical bills, accidents, flight cancellations or theft.
The majority of travel insurance will cover medical bills for £1million and pay for an emergency air ambulance to bring you home for treatment.
For more information on travel insurance go to:
Medical Insurance
Most standard travel insurance policies will include some medical cover, so normally you will not need to buy a specific medical travel insurance policy.
Travel Money
Changing sterling into euros, dollars or any other currency should be easy but there are many options to choose from to ensure that you get the best deal.
A guide to Travel money options is available at AdviserBook.
For a comprehensive guide to obtaining foreign currency and using credit/debit cards abroad go to:
Credit Cards
Travelling with one or more credit cards is an easy and convenient option. They are convenient to pack and carry, are more secure than cash and give you a record of your purchases.
There are a wide range of specialist cards offering a variety of other benefits.
Specialist Travel cards can give you travel-related perks such as holiday insurance discount, priority boarding, a better hotel room and late check-out.
Reward cards give you points you can then redeem against goods and services or converted into vouchers for in-store purchases and others points that can be traded for special offers in-store or days out.
Prepaid currency cards are topped up with your chosen currency enabling you to make purchases or withdraw money when you’re abroad.
But with any card be aware of any additional fees that the provider may charge.
More informations on using cards abroad is available at the following sites:
Lost or Stolen documents
There are steps you can take to prevent any loss or theft of importatnt documents like your passport or driving licence, as well as ways of making sure you get replacement documents as soon as possible if they are lost.
Full details are available at this link.
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