Coronavirus: PM stresses 'stay at home' message for England

The prime minister has stressed that people in England should stay at home, as a second lockdown begins.

Boris Johnson said he knew people were weary but four weeks of measures would make a "real impact" on the virus.

Pubs, restaurants and non-essential shops were forced to close on Thursday as part of the new restrictions.

Earlier, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the furlough scheme to support jobs would be extended across the UK until the end of March.

Speaking at a press conference in Downing Street, Mr Johnson said the measures were "not a repeat of the spring" and there was "light at the end of the tunnel".

He said the restrictions in England would "automatically expire" on 2 December.

He added that although the challenge was "significant across the UK", the devolved nations were working together on a "joint approach", with the objective of having "as normal a Christmas as possible".

In addition to the extension of the furlough scheme, the prime minister said a further £1.1bn will be made available for local authorities to support businesses, with £2bn for the devolved nations.

The government will also put £15m towards a scheme to help to provide accommodation for rough sleepers during the pandemic.

Mr Johnson said by September the government had supported more than 29,000 vulnerable people, with two thirds now moved into settled accommodation.

NHS England chief executive Sir Simon Stevens, who appeared alongside the prime minister, said about 30,000 staff in the health service were either off with coronavirus or were having to self-isolate, and "that has an impact".

"This second wave of coronavirus is real and it's serious," he said.

"The health service has been working incredibly hard to prepare and to catch up on the care that was disrupted during the first wave."

Unlike the first national lockdown in March, schools, universities, and nurseries will remain open, and people will be able to meet another person who they do not live with in an outdoor public place such as a park or beach.

The rules say people cannot mix with anyone they do not live with indoors or in private gardens and people should stay at home except for specific reasons including education and work, if it cannot be done from home.