The new national restrictions have been introduced to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and prevent the NHS from being overwhelmed. Schools, universities and childcare premises will remain open, but you should work from home unless your job requires you to be on site.
Stay home
You must not meet socially indoors with anyone unless they are part of your household or support bubble. Outdoor exercise and visits are allowed (not in private gardens) if you are in your household bubble or, when on your own, with one person from another household. Children under school age and those dependent on their parents will not count in this outdoor limit. See here for more info.
Shops, hair/beauty and leisure
All non-essential shops and leisure venues must shut at this time. These include retail, gyms, leisure centres and most outdoor leisure facilities, entertainment venues such as cinemas, museums and zoos and hair and beauty salons.
Food shops, supermarkets, garden centres and certain other retailers providing essential goods and services can remain open. Non-essential businesses can remain open for delivery to customers and for click-and-collect – e.g. takeaway restaurants and shops.
For more info and a full list of the types of businesses still open see here.
Essential medical services
GPs, dentists and pharmacies remain open. Do not hesitate to seek medical care if you need it.
Registering births, deaths, marriages and funerals
Birth and death registration services are open, and we encourage new parents to register their babies without delay. More info here.
Marriages and civil partnerships cannot go ahead at this time. Funerals can be attended by a maximum of 30 people in a socially distanced way.