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LOCKDOWN restrictions will stay in place for a further four weeks, dashing summer plans for many Brits.
The last stage of opening the country back up after the pandemic has been pushed back to July 19.
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As part of the roadmap for leaving the coronavirus lockdown, the lifting of restrictions had been pencilled in for June 21.
Limits on the number of people who can meet up will remain in place which means plans for large gatherings are on hold for now.
The rule of six still applies to indoor meet-ups, meaning six people from up to six different households, or two households of any size can meet up and outdoors, up to 30 people can be together.
Capacity for concerts, pubs, restaurants and theatres will stay as it is for now.
FREEDOM DAY – KEY DATES
June 14: Boris Johnson will address the nation and reveal his plan to push Freedom Day back to July 19
June 21: The original end of lockdown under the PM’s roadmap, which has now been delayed
July 5: The PM will run the rule over the data for a two-week ‘break-clause’ review. If hospitalisations haven’t increased significantly, restrictions could be relaxed early.
July 19: The new ‘Freedom Day’ date where all remaining rules should be lifted.
Nightclubs will not be allowed to reopen and large events can’t go ahead until later than expected.
But wedding guest limits have been lifted so that those tying the knot can welcome friends and family to the ceremony – but ceremonies must continue to be Covid-secure.
Instead it will be up to venues to decide how many guests can be safely accommodated meaning some celebrations may not be able to go ahead.
Many Brits who booked group holidays, scheduled big parties or have tickets for large events between June 21 and July 19 may now find themselves unable to go.
Here’s how the delay to lockdown easing could affect your money and your rights when it comes to getting a refund.
1. Group holidays
Any holidays in the UK booked before July 19 must comply with the Rule of Six.
That leaves many holidaymakers with large group bookings unable to go under these rules.
Cancellation and refunds generally depend on the terms and conditions of your booking and many providers have offered flexible policies to cover coronavirus uncertainties.
The most flexible policies will let you rebook for a different time at no extra charge, or give you a refund.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said: “The delay to easing restrictions, including lifting the rule of six, will likely disrupt many holidays in England that have already been booked and paid for, leaving people with questions over whether they will be able to get their money back.
“The Competition and Markets Authority’s investigation into the holiday lettings sector was clear that where bookings cannot go ahead due to legal restrictions, customers should be entitled to a refund.
“Holiday providers should contact any affected customers to discuss their refund options, and the regulator must be ready to come down strongly on any accommodation providers that leave their customers to choose between losing their money or breaking the law.”
For example Haven has a promise guarantee where you can get a full refund if the park has to close, the government restricts travel, you can’t or don’t feel safe travelling, or they cannot offer full experience of activities and entertainment.
Refunds must be requested between 28 days and 3 days to arrival.
Travel: What are your rights to a refund?
MILLIONS of Brits have had holiday plans cancelled. Here’s what to do if you’re affected.
Firstly, speak to your airline or holiday firm about a refund or rearranging your plans.
You are entitled to a cash refund if it’s cancelled your holiday but many have large delays processing cash or may offer vouchers instead.
If the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advises against all but essential travel to countries or regions, you may also be covered for cancellations by your travel insurance if the holiday provider or airline is not helping you.
Keep in mind travel insurance must have been taken out before the FCDO advice changed, otherwise you won’t be covered.
If you don’t have travel insurance or the excess on your insurance is so high it’s not worth claiming, you may be able to claim your money back through your credit or debit card provider.
Credit card payments between £100 and £30,000 are covered under Section 75 of the Consumer Rights Act.
To start a claim, you need to contact your credit card provider directly – Which? has a free tool that can help you do this.
Debit card claims or credit card claims of under £100 may be covered under similar Chargeback guarantees.
In the case of lockdown restrictions being imposed by the government, the law is generally on your side.
The competition authority stepped in last year after some self-catering providers refused refunds.
Its view is that you “will generally be entitled to a refund when they have paid money in advance for services or goods that cannot be provided because of the coronavirus pandemic”.
If you can no longer go because of the lockdown restrictions continuing after June 21 you should contact your provider in the first instance.
If you’ve booked travel to the holiday separately and no longer need it, your rights to a refund can vary. For example for train travel, it can depend on the type of ticket you have.
In the first instance go to the provider directly to see if you can change your booking dates or get a refund.
If you struggle getting a refund from an accommodation or travel provider your travel insurance can be the next port of call, but this will depend on the policy you have and the the cover you paid for.
And you may also be able to claim back the money if you paid by credit card under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.
This is because when you pay by credit card for purchases of over £100, your provider is partly responsible if you don’t get the service you paid for.
2. Gigs and other events
If you have tickets for a music concert or other large event, as ever, it’s best to contact the organiser directly.
There are some protections in place to help you get your money back if an event is cancelled.
Generally you’ll get a refund of the price of the ticket if the event can’t go ahead, though not any booking or delivery fees.
If the event is rescheduled and you’re unable to make the new date, you can also request a refund.
For instance, Ticketmaster says that they issue refunds for cancelled, rescheduled or postponed events and that if it’s cancelled, the refund is usually automatic.
Many firms are part of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers and they have a dispute resolution service you can escalate your problem to if you have no luck directly.
If you used a credit card you may have protection under section 75 rules.
How to claim under Section 75
FOR purchases of between £100 and £30,000 made on credit card, your card provider is jointly liable if you don’t get the service you paid for.
In this scenario, you could claim a full refund from your credit card provider for cancelled flights.
If your flights are yet to be cancelled, you’ll likely need to wait until they are in order to claim, as from your card provider’s perspective this service is still going ahead.
If you think you have a claim, contact your card provider directly – Which? has a free tool that can help you do this.
You should make a claim within six years of buying the goods or services
Just bear in mind you’ll need to claim for different transactions separately, for example if you paid for your flights and hotels separately.
One grey area to watch out for is goods paid through an agent, such as a travel agent, or a third party, as your card provider could argue it doesn’t have a “direct relationship” with the supplier.
If your claim proves unsuccessful, you can take it to the free Financial Ombudsman Service.
If you’ve booked travel to the event separately and no longer need it, then like with a holiday, your rights to a refund can vary.
And again, travel insurance may be an option for claiming the money back depending on your policy.
3. Party bookings
If you’ve booked a spot for a party or celebration with large numbers in a venue like a pub, nightclub or restaurant it’s likely you’ll have to rethink your plans.
With numbers still limited, your event might still be able to go ahead if you reduce the number of people attending.
If you want to rebook for another time or get a refund for any deposit you’ll need to speak to the venue directly – they may have stated at the time of booking if it’s refundable or not.
With venues desperate to reopen and struggling in the pandemic, they are likely to accommodate a date change that means the event can still go ahead.
If you used a credit card you may have protection under section 75 refunds.
4. Weddings
If you’re wedding will busts the limit on guest numbers at your venue, you may have to change plans.
There’s no hard and fast number like with other events, but there may still be limits imposed by the venue itself to make things Covid secure.
You may have to downsize your wedding, postpone it or cancel altogether and whether you can get a refund or not depends on the venue.
It is unlikely that many insurance policies will cover Covid-19 cancellations at this stage, unless you bought it before March last year.
We’ve got more on whether you can get a refund here.
The police can crack down on those who flout the rules, including issuing fines of up to £6,400 for repeat offenders.
Pushing back the deadline also means face masks and social distancing aren’t going anywhere for at least a month.
The PM also vowed not to delay July 19 even longer and is confident we will unlock fully in 4 weeks.
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