**Guidelines updated 22nd Jan 2021**
The government laid out the new regulations on 22nd Jan 2021 which set out the roadmap to cautiously ease lockdown restrictions. For more information see here. For summary see below
March 8
-Two people from different households will be allowed to meet in a public place, which is already currently allowed for exercise only.
-The ‘Stay at Home’ order will remain in place.
March 29
-Outdoor gatherings of either six people or a larger group from up to two households will be allowed. This includes meetings in private gardens.
-Outdoor sports facilities – tennis and basketball courts – can reopen and people take part in “formally organised” outdoor sports, both children and adults.
-The ‘Stay at Home’ order will end, and people will be encouraged to stay local.
-People will be allowed to leave their local area from March 29, but will not be able to stay overnight.
-People will still be asked to work from home where possible and there won’t be any overseas travel allowed apart from exemptions.
April 12 (at earliest)
-Reopening of non-essential shops
-Most outdoor attractions and settings also reopen including hospitality.
-Indoor gyms can reopen but no classes will take place.
-Wider social contact rules will apply in all these settings. You wouldn’t be able to have indoor mixing between households
-The two households or Rule of 6 will apply when meeting friends in a public place
May 17
-The two household/ rules of six requirements will still be in place, however, indoor mixing will be allowed again.
-Indoors, there will be a rule of six or a larger group from up to two households can meet indoors – but this will be kept under review.
-Inside of pubs and restaurants open at this point along with entertainment such as cinemas, children’s play areas, accommodation (hotels and B&Bs) and indoor adult sports groups and exercise classes.
-If meeting friends in the pub, it’s the rule of six or 2 households. But those restrictions are removed if you’re in the beer garden.
-Performances/sporting events: larger performances and sporting events in indoor events with a capacity of 1,000 or half full (whichever smaller) will be allowed.
-Outdoors, the capacity of 4,000 people allowed, or half full, again whichever is smaller.
-Largest outdoor seated venues e.g. biggest football stadiums, up to 10,000 people will be able to attend – or a quarter full, whichever is lower. So 10k can go to Wembley Stadium
-Up to 30 people able to attend weddings, receptions, and wakes as well as funerals and other life events permitted including Bar Mitzvahs and christenings.
June 21
-Hopefully, rules on social contact can be removed, and hope to reopen those final closed sectors of the economy, some of which didn’t open last summer, like nightclubs.
-There may also be a lifting of restriction on large events and performances.
-On the whole, working from home will be advised until June 21.
All the dates are subject to meeting the criteria and will be under constant review.
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**Guidelines updated 5th Jan 2021**
The government laid out the new regulations on 5th Jan 2021 which saw UK, Wales and Scotland go into national lockdown. For more information see here
The legal documents regarding these changes can be seen here
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The government laid out the new regulations on 12th of October which categorises regions of the UK into 3 tiers of lockdown.
The tiers are Medium, High, and Very High.
You should find out what the tiers are for the areas you work or enter. To do this visit this link There are different restrictions in Scotland Northern Ireland
Businesses can be fined for breaking rules:
First offence: £1000
Second offence: £2000
Third Offence: £4000
Fourth+ Offences: £10,000
For more information about how this can impact your business visit this link
Staff self-isolating must tell employers when they start and finish – a £50 fine if they do not.People aged 18 or over can be fined for breaking rules:
£200 for the first offence, lowered to £100 if paid within 14 days
£400 for the second offence, then doubling for each further offence up to a maximum of £6,400
For more information for individuals travelling safely visit this link.
Across England, anyone who “contravenes” self-isolation without a “reasonable excuse” will be fined £4,000.
Anyone who maliciously gives someone’s name to NHS test and trace so they have to self-isolate despite not being a close contact can be punished with a £1,000 fine.
Local COVID alert level: medium
This is for areas where national restrictions continue to be in place.
This means:
– you must not socialise in groups larger than 6, indoors or outdoors (other than where a legal exemption applies)
– businesses and venues can continue to operate, in a COVID-secure manner, other than those that remain closed in law
– certain businesses are required to ensure customers only consume food and drink while seated, and must close between 10pm and 5am
– businesses and venues selling food for consumption off the premises can continue to do so after 10pm as long as this is through delivery service, click-and-collect or drive-through
– schools and universities remain open
– places of worship remain open, subject to the rule of 6
– weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on numbers of attendees
– exercise classes and organised sport can continue to take place outdoors, or indoors if the rule of 6 is followed; there are exceptions for supervised activities for under-18s, and disability sport
You must:
– wear a face covering in those areas where this is mandated
You should continue to:
– follow social distancing rules
– work from home where you can effectively do so
– when travelling, plan ahead or avoid busy times and routes; walk or cycle if you can
Find out more about the measures that apply in medium alert level areas to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Local COVID alert level: high
This is for areas with a higher level of infections where some additional restrictions are in place.
This means on top of restrictions in alert level medium:
– you must not socialise with anybody outside of your household or support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place
– you must not socialise in a group of more than 6 outside, including in a garden or other spaces like beaches or parks (other than where specific exemptions apply in law)
– businesses and venues can continue to operate, in a COVID-secure manner, other than those that remain closed in law
– certain businesses are required to ensure customers only consume food and drink while seated, and must close between 10pm and 5am
– businesses and venues selling food for consumption off the premises can continue to do so after 10pm as long as this is through delivery service, click-and-collect or drive-through
– schools, universities and places of worship remain open
– weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on the number of attendees
– exercise classes and organised sport can continue to take place outdoors; these will only be permitted indoors if it is possible for people to avoid mixing with people they do not live with or share a support bubble with; there are exceptions for supervised activities for under-18s, and disability sport
– you can continue to travel to venues or amenities that are open, for work or to access education, but should look to reduce the number of journeys you make where possible
You must:
– wear a face covering in those areas where this is mandated
You should continue to:
– follow social distancing rules
– work from home where you can effectively do so
– walk or cycle where possible, or plan ahead and avoid busy times and routes on public transport
Find out more about the measures that apply in high alert level areas to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Local COVID alert level: very high
This is for areas with a very high level of infections and where tighter restrictions are in place. The restrictions placed on areas with a very high level of infections can vary, and are based on discussions between central and local government. You should therefore check the specific rules in your area
At a minimum, this means:
– you must not socialise with anybody you do not live with or have formed a support bubble with, in any indoor setting or in any private garden or at most outdoor hospitality venues and ticketed events
– you must not socialise in a group of more than 6 in an outdoor public space such as a park or beach, the countryside, a public garden or a sports venue
– pubs and bars must close; they can only remain open where they operate as if they were a restaurant, which means serving substantial meals, like a main lunchtime or evening meal, and they may only serve alcohol as part of such a meal
– schools and universities remain open
– places of worship remain open, but household mixing is not permitted
– weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on the number of attendees; however, wedding receptions are not allowed
– exercise classes and organised sport can continue to take place outdoors; these will only be permitted indoors if it is possible for people to avoid mixing with people they do not live with or share a support bubble with; there are exceptions for supervised activities for under-18s, and disability sport
– you should try to avoid travelling outside the very high alert level area you are in or entering a very high alert level area, other than for things like work, education or youth services, to meet caring responsibilities or if you are travelling through as part of a longer journey
– you should avoid staying overnight in another part of the UK if you are resident in a very high alert level area, or avoid staying overnight in a very high alert level area if you are resident elsewhere
You must:
– wear a face covering in those areas where this is mandated
You should continue to:
– follow social distancing rules
– work from home where you can effectively do so
– travel to venues or amenities that are open, for work or to access education, but aim to reduce the number of journeys you make
This is the baseline in very high alert level areas. The government will also seek to agree additional interventions in consultation with local authorities, in order to reduce the spread of the virus. These could include the following options:
– restrictions preventing the sale of alcohol in hospitality or closing all hospitality (except takeaway and delivery)
– closing indoor and outdoor entertainment venues and tourist attractions
– closing venues such as leisure centres and gyms (while ensuring provision remains available for elite athletes, youth and disabled sport and physical activity)
– closing public buildings, such as libraries and community centres (while ensuring provision remains available for youth and childcare activities and support groups)
– closing personal care and close contact services or prohibiting the highest-risk activities
– closing performing arts venues for the purposes of performing to audiences
You should therefore check whether additional restrictions apply in your areaFind out more about the measures that apply in very high alert level areas
Further resources:
The legal document about these changes:
The government is set to lay out the new regulations this morning, which will ban people from socialising indoors with a person from outside your household bubble. The new regulation reads: ‘No person may participate in a gathering which takes place in a public or private place indoors, and consists of two or more persons.’ Until today, the person who goes inside another person’s home would have been the one breaching the rules. However, now both people could be prosecuted under the new amendment to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations 2020 bill, that is set to be presented before Parliament on Monday morning. Previous rules did not include wording about meeting in private places as the general message was to ‘stay at home’ and to avoid all but essential travel. Now only those with ‘reasonable excuses’ will be allowed to meet privately indoors – which does not include meeting up to have sex.
Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2020/06/01/sex-someone-dont-live-illegal-today-12785637/?ito=cbshare
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