Recommendation COVID-M6.4: Care Home Visiting Restrictions Guidance
From Module 6: Care Sector, published 20 October 2026.
Recommendation
The UK government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive should publish guidance for the implementation of visiting restrictions in care homes in a future pandemic.
The guidance should be led by the following core principles:
Measures applied should be the least restrictive possible, both in terms of severity and the length of time for which they apply.
Residents should have the right to in-person visitors, except in the most grave or exceptional of circumstances.
Restrictions should be decided upon and applied at the most local level possible, based on local risk assessments and considering individual circumstances.
Communications with the public, care home residents and loved ones must clearly explain the measures in place and their purpose.
People who work in and use social care should be closely involved in developing this guidance.
Government response
No formal government response published. The Welsh Government had not published a response to the Module 6 report of 20 October 2026 when its page of responses to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry module reports on GOV.WALES was checked on 20 October 2026.
No formal government response published. The Scottish Government had not published a response to the Module 6 report of 20 October 2026 when its collection of responses to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry on gov.scot was checked on 20 October 2026.
No formal government response published. The Northern Ireland Executive had not published a response to the Module 6 report of 20 October 2026 when the Executive Office's publications list was checked on 20 October 2026.
Delivery
No statement on delivery from Department of Health and Social Care has been found in the sources searched (last checked 20 October 2026). This is separate from the response above.
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Welsh Government
Response - Scottish Government
Response - Northern Ireland Executive
Response