BRITAIN’S BIGGEST FAMILY has revealed that they will no longer be travelling abroad due to the eye-watering costs of coronavirus tests.
The Morecambe family of 24 initially had plans to travel to Portugal but these were scrapped after they looked into the cost of obtaining a PCR test some family members.
These tests can cost hundreds of pounds depending on where you purchase them from.
Speaking about it one of their YouTube vlogs posted earlier this month, Sue Radford said: “We’re not going abroad this year.
“We priced up Portugal and we were just about to book it when Noel said we better just see what the requirements are for going abroad.
“And basically… it would have cost us £3,500 before we'd even booked the holiday.
“That was just for the corona tests, so we were just like absolutely no way are we doing it.
“Hopefully next year it will be a bit better.”
However, Sue revealed that the family do have some holiday plans in place that will take place in the UK- but she remained tight-lipped about the details.
She said: “We are going to be do something.”
Daughter, Millie added that so many things they tried to organise were already booked up- but they have secured another trip to Alton Towers.
Back in May, Sue and Noel Radford brought 15 of their 22 children – aged between one and 19 – to the attraction along with their eight-month-old granddaughter.
“With a brood as big as ours, it’s often tricky for us to find somewhere we can all go that everyone will enjoy,” said Mr and Mrs Radford.
“The noise the kids made when we told them we were going to Alton Towers Resort was almost as loud as when they all tried the Runaway Mine Train for the first time!”
What are the rules around travelling to Portugal in the pandemic?
The UK government announced a traffic light system where certain countries are placed on a ‘green’ ‘amber’ and ‘red’ list based on how say they are to travel to and return from.
Earlier this month, Portugal was moved from the green list on to the amber list – meaning holiday makers will face tougher restrictions and costs if they are planning to visit the country.
According to the latest changes, tourists who head to Portugal despite its amber list rating will no longer have to take a PCR test before they leave the UK.
Instead, holidaymakers from the UK can show a negative antigen test (which is cheaper than a PCR test) taken within 24 hours of departure; or they can choose to still take the PCR test within 72 hours of travel.
FO advice states: "With the exception of children up to the age of 2, you must have proof of a negative COVID-19 test to travel to or through Portugal. The test can be:
- a Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT), including RT-PCR, taken within 72 hours of travel, or
- an Antigen test that meets the performance standards set out in the EU common list of Rapid Antigen Tests, taken within 24 hours of travel.
"You must show your test certificate before you board your flight to Portugal. Your airline is likely to deny boarding if you cannot show this at check-in. Check with your airline before you travel."
Anybody arriving into the UK from Portugal must then take two PCR tests when they return.
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