UK travellers who are planning trips have been advised to check the renewal dates on their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

The Department for Health says that travellers could end up having to pay high medical bills for treatment in the continent, if they travel with an out of date EHIC card.

Each card has an expiry date and the Department of Health has estimate that some 3.3 million cards, could have already expired, with just 292,089 people renewing their EHIC cards, before they travel.

Dawn Primarolo has warned travellers, when he said: "Anyone travelling with an expired EHIC is putting themselves at risk - they will not be covered for basic medical care.

He also added: “It is vital that UK residents holidaying in Europe carry their EHIC and take out adequate travel insurance to avoid having to pay out unnecessarily for medical costs that could be covered by a valid EHIC."