Covid: What are the new tiers and lockdown rules in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
- Published
Large areas of the south of England face tier three "very high" coronavirus restrictions from 00:01 GMT on Saturday.
Northern Ireland begins a six-week lockdown on Boxing Day and a lockdown in Wales starts on 28 December.
At Christmas, the rules temporarily change around the whole of the UK.
What are England's lockdown rules?
All areas have been placed in one of three tiers: medium, high and very high. About 99% of England is now in tiers two and three.
From 00:01 GMT on Saturday new areas in the highest tier include Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Hertfordshire and parts of Surrey, East Sussex, Cambridgeshire and Hampshire.
Bristol and North East Somerset will move from tier three to tier two, while Herefordshire will move from tier two to tier one.
By law, the placing of areas in each tier must be reviewed at least 14 days.
From 00:01 on Saturday the following areas will move from tier two to tier three:
- Bedfordshire
- Berkshire
- Buckinghamshire
- Hastings and Rother
- The whole of Hertfordshire
- Peterborough
- Portsmouth, Gosport and Havant
- Surrey, except Waverley
Tier three (very high) rules
- You can't mix indoors, in private gardens or in most outdoor venues, except with your household or bubble
- You can meet in a group of up to six in other outdoor spaces, such as parks, beaches or countryside
- Shops, gyms and personal care services (such as hairdressing) can stay open, as can swimming pools
- Bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants must stay closed, except for delivery and takeaway
- Collective worship can take place with no mixing outside of bubbles
- Small wedding ceremonies can take place, but not receptions.
- Sports fans cannot attend events in stadiums
- Indoor entertainment venues - such as bowling alleys and cinemas - must stay closed
- People are advised not to travel to and from tier three areas
- From 00:01 on Saturday, Bristol and North Somerset will move from tier three to tier two
Tier two (high) rules
- From 00:01 on Saturday, Herefordshire will move from tier two to tier one
Tier one (medium) rules
Areas in the lowest tier will have some restrictions relaxed:
- The rule of six will apply indoors and outdoors
- Spectator sports can resume with a crowd of 50% of capacity, or 4,000 spectators, whichever is smaller
- Only the Isle of Wight, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are currently in tier one
- Herefordshire will move to tier one from 00:01 on 19 December
There are exceptions in all tiers for childcare and support bubbles. More details are here.
How were the tiers decided?
Under the current tier restrictions, about 55 million people are banned from mixing with other households indoors. The decision is based on:
- Total number of Covid cases in an area
- The number of cases in the over-60s
- The rate at which cases are rising or falling
- The proportion of test results coming back positive
- Pressure on the NHS
What are the rules for the UK at Christmas?
From 23-27 December (22-28 December in Northern Ireland, to allow travel) three households will be able to form a "Christmas bubble" which can mix indoors and stay overnight.
These bubbles will be allowed to meet:
- In each other's homes
- At a place of worship
- In an outdoor public space, or garden
Travel restrictions will be lifted to allow people to visit their families anywhere in the UK.
However, the Welsh government is changing the law in Wales to say that only two households - plus an additional single-person household - will be able to meet.
And Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said her "strong recommendation" was that people should, if they can, spend Christmas "in your own home with your own household".
What are Northern Ireland's rules?
From Boxing Day, a six-week lockdown begins in Northern Ireland.
The first week, until 2 January, will have stricter restrictions, ncluding essential shops closing at 20:00 GMT and no sport.
The new rules include:
- Closure of all non-essential retail, including garden centres and homeware shops
- No click-and-collect services
- Closure of close contact services like hair and beauty salons
- Hospitality businesses open only for takeaway and delivery
- Leisure and entertainment venues close
- Off-licences must close by 20:00
- Car washes will shut
- Hotels can stay open until 28 December for Christmas travellers
- Christmas bubbles for up to three households in Northern Ireland allowed, but ending on 27 December
- Weddings, civil partnership ceremonies and funerals limited to 25 people - wedding receptions not allowed
- Churches can remain open, but with measures like compulsory face masks
- Outdoor parks can remain open
- Elite sport allowed behind closed doors from 2 January
Until 26 December, the rules are:
- Households cannot mix indoors in private homes, except for exemptions including bubbles and childcare
- No more than six people from two households can gather in a private garden (children under 12 are exempt)
- A maximum of 15 people can gather outside, unless for an organised, risk-assessed event
- Hotels, libraries, visitor attractions and non-essential shops can open. Gyms can open for individual or one-to-one training
- Restaurants, cafes, and pubs serve food can open and must close by 23:00
- Religious buildings can open and maximum capacity for weddings and funerals is based on building size
- Up to 500 spectators can attend sporting events
What are the rules in Wales?
From 28 December, Wales will be under another lockdown. The measures include
- All non-essential shops will stop trading (this will come into effect at end of trading on 24 December)
- Close-contact services, like hair salons and nail bars will have to close
- All pubs, restaurants and cafes will close (from 18:00 GMT on Christmas Day)
- Entertainment venues and visitor attractions will be closed, along with leisure centres and gyms
- Sport courts, skate parks, golf courses and enclosed pitches will close
- Wedding receptions will not be allowed
- People are advised against any non-essential travel
The current rules in Wales are:
People with whom you don't live cannot enter your home socially, unless you are in an extended household (bubble) with them. Tradespeople can enter your home to carry out work.
How does Scotland's five-tier system work?
Each area of Scotland has been placed in one of five levels.
Several areas had been moved into lower restriction tiers recently, but Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and East Lothian will all move from level two to level three on Friday 18 December, with greater restrictions on travel and hospitality.
Level zero (nearly normal) rules
- Indoor meetings allowed with up to eight people from three households
- Up to 15 people from five households can meet outdoors
- No areas have been placed in the lowest tier.
Level one (medium) rules
Additional restrictions apply:
- In Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, up to six people from two households can meet inside their homes. This is not allowed in Highlands or Moray.
- People in all areas can meet up to seven other people outdoors, from a maximum of three households
Level two (high) rules
Additional restrictions apply:
- No gatherings inside homes
- Up to six people from two households can meet outdoors or at a pub or restaurant
- Most hospitality venues can open
- Alcohol can be served indoors with a meal until 20:00 and outdoors until 22:30
- Most leisure premises are closed except gyms, cinemas, bingo halls and amusement arcades
Level three (very high) rules
Additional restrictions apply:
- Pubs and restaurants can open until 18:00, but alcohol cannot be served
- Leisure and entertainment venues are closed
- Non-essential travel in or out of the area not allowed
- Gyms uses restricted to individuals and not groups
Level four (lockdown) rules
Additional restrictions apply:
- Non-essential shops, pubs and restaurants, and gyms close
- Libraries and hairdressers also close
Schools stay open in all levels, and there must also be no non-essential travel between Scotland the rest of the UK.