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PRIME MINISTER'S ANNOUNCEMENT: February 22nd: Boris Johnson spoke in the Commons at 3:30pm on Monday 22nd January ahead of addressing the nation later that evening, on the route towards lifting lockdown.  A summary of his announcement is shown below, but in the meantime, the public is reminded that lockdown restrictions implemented on January 5th, remain in place.

Subject to the continuing rate of roll-out of vaccines. a continuing reduction in deaths and infection rates, and on the proviso that new variants do not affect the situation, the following timetable will apply.

8th March

• Care homes: ONE nominated person will be permitted to visit a care home, but wearing PPE, completing a lateral flow test and minimising physical contact to hand-holding only.

• Childcare

  • can resume for vulnerable pupils, and where parents need help to be able to go to work and for carers to carry out their duties, to attend support groups or medical attention.

• Education:

  • Schools and colleges can reopen

  • University students can resume on-site practical courses.  A review is expected by the end of the Easter period in respect of all other students.

  • Older students, parents and staff will be advised to wear face coverings

• Exercise: You will be able to take exercise and recreation with your household or one other person in a public place.

• Funerals: Permitted for up to 30 people

• Meeting others outdoors: As above under 'exercise', people will be able to meet ONE other person outdoors for the purposes of recreation and, sit down for refreshments

• Politics: Campaigning can resume ahead of May elections

• Travel: Stay at home.  No domestic or international holidays are permitted.  Travellers leaving the country will still be required to declare the reason or reasons for doing so.

• Weddings: These can take place in any circumstance but for up to SIX persons ONLY.

29th March

• Children: Parent/children groups can resume activities but limited to 15 in number and these gatherings MUST be outdoors.   Gatherings indoors will only be for vulnerable children and where parents rely on groups in order to be able to go to work..

• Meeting others outdoors: You will be able to meet within the "rule of six" including in private gardens

• Sport: Outdoor facilities are expected to re-open.   Organised adult and children's outdoor sports can also resume including grass-roots football.

• Stay at home?  This rule is expected to be dropped but movement should be minimised as much as possible.

• Travel: Minimise travel.  There should be no domestic or international holidays.  Travellers leaving the country will still be required to declare the reason or reasons for doing so

• Work from home? You should continue to work from home as much as possible.

12th April: (no earlier)

• Community centres: Able to reopen

• Entertainment: Drive-in cinemas, theme parks and zoos will be able to re-open.

• Funerals: These can be held but restricted to a maximum of 30 people.

• Gyms: These sites will be able to reopen.

• Holidays:  

  • UK:  Overnight stays will be allowed after April 12th, suggesting that 'staycations' could be possible by mid-April.  Self-contained holiday accommodation, i.e. self-catering lets and camp sites will be able to open

  • Abroad: At present, it is anticipated that there should be no international holidays from this date.  The Global Travel Taskforce is expected to report on April 12th to provide recommendations towards a return to allowing international travel for holidays as soon as possible.   After that point, the Government will ultimately determine when international travel should resume, but this is not expected to be any earlier than 17th May (see below).

• Leisure: These sites will be able to reopen

• Libraries: These sites will be able to reopen

• Meeting people indoors: Different households CANNOT mix..

• Museums: These sites will be able to reopen

• Personal care premises: Hairdressers and salons etc. will be permitted to open again.

• Play: Indoor play activities can resume, but restricted to 15 parents/guardians included

• Public buildings: These sites will be able to reopen.

• Restaurants/pub gardens: Restaurants and pubs will be able to serve customers for takeaways and for sitting outdoors where facilities exist on the premises. The rule of six will apply for outdoor seating gatherings.  No curfews are expected.

• Retail: Non-essential retail sites are permitted to reopen including hairdressers (see Personal care premises above)

• Travel: See above under 'holidays;.  

• Weddings: These will be permitted but attended by up to 15 people only. 

17th May: (no earlier)

• Accommodation: B&Bs, hostels and hotels (etc.) can reopen.

• Entertainment: Outoor cinemas and theatres can reopen, indoor venues such as cinemas, children's play areas and cinemas can reopen.

• Events: Performances and large events can resume, but indoor events will be limited to either half capacity or 1,000 people.  Outdoors, half capacity or 4,000 people, whichever is lower.  Large venues (min: 40,000) will be allowed to accommodate up to 10,000.

• Funerals: These can be held but restricted to a maximum of 30 people

• Holidays: As above, B&Bs, hostels and hotels (etc.) can reopen.

• Meeting people indoors: Permitted up to six persons from two households.  See 'Restaurants/pub gardens below.

• Meeting people outdoors: Permitted up to 30 persons.

• Play: Indoor children's play areas can reopen.

• Restaurants/pub gardens: Restaurants and pubs will be able to serve customers sitting INDOORS.  The rule of six will apply.  No curfews are expected.   There will be no limts for outdoor gatherings.

• Sport: Organised indoor activities for adults can resume.

• Travel: International travel will not be permitted ot resume any earlier than 17th May.

• Weddings: It is understood that these will be permitted but attended by up to 30 people only. 

21st June: (no earlier)

• Entertainment: Nightclubs, theatres and cinemas can reopen.

• Funerals: no legal limits on the number of attendees

• Social contact: Legal limits will be removed (subject to review)

• Travel: International travel set to be permitted (subject to review)

• Weddings: no legal limits on the number of attendees

IN THE MEANTIME, A NATIONAL LOCKDOWN APPLIES:  A full national lockdown applies.  Legislation for this remains valid until 31st March.

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