Coronavirus Information

(Updated 12/04/2021)

 

England is now in National Lockdown

This means there are new rules to what you can and cannot do.

You should follow this guidance immediately. The law will be updated to reflect these new rules.

12 April: What's Changed?

Some of the rules on what you can and cannot changed on 12 April. However, many restrictions remain in place. You must not socialise indoors with anyone you do not live with, unless you have formed a support bubble with them, or another exemption applies. You should continue to work from home if you can and minimise the number of journeys you make where possible. You should get a test and follow the stay at home guidance if you have COVID-19 symptoms.

You can read the ‘COVID-19 Response - Spring 2021’ (the roadmap) for more information on how COVID-19 restrictions will be eased in England. It is underpinned by law.

From 12 April:

  • non-essential retail can reopen
  • personal care services such as hairdressers and nail salons can reopen, including those provided from a mobile setting
  • public buildings such as libraries and community centres can reopen
  • outdoor hospitality venues can reopen, with table service only
  • most outdoor attractions including zoos, theme parks, and drive-in performances (such as cinemas and concerts) can reopen
  • some smaller outdoor events such as fetes, literary fairs, and fairgrounds can take place
  • indoor leisure and sports facilities can reopen for individual exercise, or exercise with your household or support bubble
  • all childcare and supervised activities are allowed indoors (as well as outdoors) for all children. Parent and child groups can take place indoors (as well as outdoors) for up to 15 people (children under 5 will not be counted in this number)
  • weddings, civil partnership ceremonies, wakes and other commemorative events can take place for up to 15 people (anyone working is not included in this limit), including in indoor venues that are permitted to open or where an exemption applies. Wedding receptions can also take place for up to 15 people, but must take place outdoors, not including private gardens
  • self-contained accommodation can stay open for overnight stays in England with your household or support bubble
  • care home residents will be able to nominate two named individuals for regular indoor visits (following a rapid lateral flow test)
  • you should continue to work from home if you can and minimise the amount that you travel where possible

Keeping yourself and others safe

Social distancing is still very important. You should stay 2 metres apart from anyone who is not in your household or support bubble where possible, or 1 metre with extra precautions in place (such as wearing face coverings) if you cannot stay 2 metres apart.

You should follow the guidance on how to stop the spread of coronavirus at all times, including if you have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

You should follow this guidance in full to limit spreading COVID-19. It is underpinned by law.

Face coverings

You must wear a face covering in many indoor settings, such as shops and places of worship, and on public transport, unless you are exempt or have a reasonable excuse. This is the law. Read guidance on face coverings.

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable, you could be at higher risk of severe illness from coronavirus.

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable, you are no longer advised to shield. However, you should continue to follow the guidance for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable and are advised to continue taking extra precautions to protect yourself. It is important that you continue to keep the number of social interactions that you have low and try to limit the amount of time you spend in settings where it is difficult to maintain social distancing.

If you have been vaccinated against COVID-19

To help protect yourself and your friends, family, and community you should continue to follow all of the guidance on this page even if you’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19.

The vaccines have been shown to reduce the likelihood of severe illness in most people. Like all medicines, no vaccine is completely effective, so those who have received the vaccine should continue to take recommended precautions to avoid infection.

We do not know by how much the vaccine stops COVID-19 from spreading. Even if you have been vaccinated, you could still spread COVID-19 to others.

Asymptomatic testing

Rapid lateral flow testing is now available free to anybody without symptoms. You can get your tests from pharmacies, testing sites, employers, schools, colleges and universities.

Find out more about how to get rapid lateral flow tests

Testing twice a week will help make sure you don’t have COVID-19, reducing the risk to those around you.

If you have symptoms you should continue to get a PCR test. If you’re not sure, you can find out which coronavirus test you should get.

Meeting family and friends indoors

You must not meet indoors with anybody you do not live with, unless you have formed a support bubble with them (if you are eligible), or another legal exemption applies.

Meeting friends and family outdoors (rule of 6)

You can meet up outdoors with friends and family you do not live with, either:

  • in a group of up to 6 from any number of households (children of all ages count towards the limit of 6)
  • in a group of any size from up to two households (each household can include an existing support bubble, if eligible)

If you’re in a support bubble

If you are eligible to form a support bubble, you and your support bubble count as one household towards the limit of 2 households when meeting others outdoors. This means, for example, that you and your support bubble can meet with another household, even if the group is more than 6 people.

Where you can meet

You can meet in a group of 6 or a larger group of any size from up to 2 households (including their support bubbles) outdoors. This includes private outdoor spaces, such as gardens, and other outdoor public places and venues that are open. These include the following:

  • parks, beaches, countryside accessible to the public, forests
  • public and botanical gardens
  • the grounds of a heritage site
  • outdoor sculpture parks
  • allotments
  • public playgrounds
  • outdoor sports venues and facilities
  • outdoor hospitality venues
  • outdoor attractions

If you need to enter through a house to get to a garden or other outside space and there is no alternative access, you should wear a face covering, wash or sanitise your hands when entering, and then go straight to the outside space. If you need to use the bathroom, wash your hands thoroughly and go back outside immediately. You should maintain social distancing from anyone who is not in your household or support bubble, and hosts should follow fresh air (ventilation) guidance.

When you can meet with more people or meet indoors

Gatherings above the limit of 6 people or 2 households outdoors, or any gatherings indoors, can only take place if they are permitted by an exemption. These exemptions are listed on this page.

This means, for example, a tradesperson can go into a household without breaking the limit if they are there for work, and the officiant at a wedding would not count towards the limit.

Support and childcare bubbles

You have to meet certain eligibility rules to form a support or childcare bubble. This means not everyone will be able to form a bubble. See the separate guidance on support bubbles and childcare bubbles.

You can only use a childcare bubble for childcare. You cannot use a childcare bubble to mix with another household for any other reason. This means you cannot use a childcare bubble to meet socially with another household.

Going to work

You should continue to work from home where you can.

If you cannot work from home you should continue to travel to your workplace. You do not need to be classed as a critical worker to go to work if you cannot work from home.

Employers and employees should discuss their working arrangements, and employers should take every possible step to facilitate their employees working from home, including providing suitable IT and equipment to enable remote working. Where people cannot work from home, employers should take steps to make their workplaces COVID-19 secure and help employees avoid busy times and routes on public transport. Extra consideration should be given to those people at higher risk.

COVID-secure guidelines are available for sectors across the economy to substantially reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.

See guidance for reopening businesses and venues

Meeting others for work

You can gather in larger groups or meet indoors where it is necessary for your work. This does not include social gatherings with work colleagues.

Working in other people’s homes

Where it is reasonably necessary for you to work in other people’s homes you can continue to do so, for example if you’re a:

  • nanny
  • cleaner
  • tradesperson
  • social care worker providing support to children and families

You should follow the guidance on working in other people’s homes.

Where a work meeting does not need to take place in a private home or garden, it should not.

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable or live with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable

If you have been identified as clinically extremely vulnerable then you should continue to work from home where possible. If you cannot work from home, you can go to your workplace. Your employer is required to take steps to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace and should be able to explain to you the measures they have put in place to keep you safe at work. Some employers may introduce regular testing of employees as part of these measures. You may also want to consider how you get to and from work, for example, if it is possible to avoid using public transport during rush hour.

If you live with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable then you can continue to go to work if you are unable to work from home.

You should follow the guidance on how to stop the spread of coronavirus, including what to do to reduce your risk of catching or passing on the virus at home.

If you are worried about going in to work or you cannot work

There is guidance if you need to self-isolate or cannot go to work due to coronavirus and what to do if you’re employed and cannot work.

Citizens Advice has advice if you’re worried about working, including what to do if you think your workplace is not safe, or if you live with someone vulnerable.

Support is available if you cannot work, for example if you need to care for someone or you have less work.

There is further advice for employers and employees from ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service).

Going to school or college

School pupils and students in further education should go to school and college.

All schools, colleges and other further education settings are open for face-to-face teaching during term time. It remains very important for children and young people to attend, to support their wellbeing and education and to help working parents and guardians.

Clinically extremely vulnerable pupils and students should go to school or college.

There is further guidance on what parents need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges during COVID-19.

Rapid lateral flow testing is now available for free for everyone in England. It is recommended for all secondary school pupils and college students, their families and all school and college staff.

See the guidance on how you can get regular rapid tests if you do not have symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Universities and higher education

Students in university and other higher education settings undertaking practical and practice based courses who require specialist equipment and facilities can go to in-person teaching and learning where reasonably necessary. Providers should not ask students to return if their course can reasonably be continued online.

All other students should continue to learn remotely and remain where they’re living until in-person teaching starts again, wherever possible. The government will review and announce by the end of the Easter Holidays when other students can return to in-person teaching and learning.

Students who have returned to higher education settings, including university, should not move back and forward between their permanent home and student home during term time, unless they meet one of the exemptions.

Higher education students who have moved to university accommodation will be able to return to a non-term residence before 29 April 2021, if they wish to. This will allow university students to return to a family or other address for the holidays. However, in order to minimise the risk of spreading COVID-19, students should remain in their term time accommodation where possible, especially those students who returned to campus from 8 March. Students should take a test before they travel.

There is guidance for universities and students starting and returning to higher education.

Students should follow the guidance on how to stop the spread of COVID-19 at all times.

Childcare

All children can go to registered childcare, childminders, wraparound care and other supervised children’s activities indoors and outdoors.

Parent and child groups can take place indoors as well as outdoors, with restrictions on numbers attending. See the parent and child groups section of this guidance.

Meeting others for childcare

People can continue to gather indoors or in larger groups outdoors where this is reasonably necessary:

  • for education, registered childcare, and supervised activities for children, see further information on education and childcare
  • for arrangements where children do not live in the same household as both their parents or guardians
  • to allow contact between birth parents and children in care, as well as between siblings in care
  • for prospective adopting parents to meet a child or children who may be placed with them
  • to place or facilitate the placing of a child or children in the care of another by social services
  • for the purpose of managing childcare through a childcare bubble

You can only use a childcare bubble for childcare and cannot use it to mix with another household for any other reason (for example to socialise). You have to meet certain eligibility rules to form a childcare bubble. See the separate guidance on childcare bubbles.

Parent and child groups

Parent and child groups can take place indoors as well as outdoors (but not in private homes or gardens) if they are for the benefit of children aged under 5 and organised by a business, charity or public body. This includes groups that are primarily focused on social and developmental activities.

Parent and child groups must be limited to no more than 15 people. Children under five and anyone working or volunteering as part of the group, such as a group leader, are not counted in this number.

Support groups which provide support functions for parents, carers, or their children

Support groups which provide support functions for parents, carers, or their children, such as breastfeeding or postnatal groups, which have to be delivered in person may continue to meet indoors, but must follow the same rules as other support groups. See the support groups section of this guidance.

Providing care or assistance

You can continue to gather in larger groups or meet indoors where this is reasonably necessary:

  • to visit people in your support bubble (if you are legally permitted to form one)
  • to provide informal childcare for children aged 13 or under as part of a childcare bubble (for example, to enable parents to work, not to enable socialising between adults)
  • to provide emergency assistance
  • to go to a support group of up to 15 participants, the limit of 15 does not include children under 5 who are accompanying a parent or guardian
  • for respite care where that care is being provided to a vulnerable person or a disabled person, or is a short break in respect of a looked-after child
  • to provide care or assistance for disabled or vulnerable people, including shopping for essential items and accessing services on their behalf

You can also provide care or assistance for disabled or vulnerable people inside someone’s home, where necessary. However, you must only meet indoors or in a larger group where it is reasonably necessary to provide care or assistance. This means you cannot meet socially indoors with someone who is vulnerable unless they are in your household or support bubble, or another exemption applies.

You should follow the guidance on how to stop the spread of coronavirus at all times. There is further guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends or family.

Support groups

Support groups that have to be delivered in person can continue with up to 15 participants where officially organised to provide mutual aid, therapy or any other form of support. Support groups must be organised by a business, charity or public body and must not take place in a private home or garden. All participants should maintain social distancing. Examples of support groups include those that provide support to:

  • victims of crime (including domestic abuse)
  • those with, or recovering from, addictions (including alcohol, narcotics or other substance addictions) or addictive patterns of behaviour
  • those with, or caring for people with, any long-term illness or terminal condition or who are vulnerable (including those with a mental health condition)
  • those facing issues related to their sexuality or identity (including those living as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender)
  • those who have suffered bereavement
  • vulnerable young people (including to enable them to meet youth workers)
  • disabled people and their carers

The limit of 15 does not include children under 5 who are accompanying a parent or guardian. Gatherings above the limit can take place where reasonably necessary for work or volunteering. Where a group includes someone covered by an exception (for example, someone who is working or volunteering to facilitate the group), they are not generally counted as part of the gatherings limit.

Exercise, sport and physical activity

You can do unlimited exercise outdoors but there are limits on the number of people you can exercise with. It can be either:

  • on your own
  • in a group of up to 6 people
  • in a larger group of any size from up to 2 households (and their support bubbles, if eligible)

You can also take part in formally organised outdoor sports or licensed physical activity with any number of people. This must be organised by a business, charity or public body and the organiser must take the required precautions, including the completion of a risk assessment. You should avoid contact in training and, for some sports, avoid contact in all activities. Read the guidance on what avoiding contact means for your sport.

Indoor leisure facilities may open for you to exercise on your own, or with your household or support bubble.

You must not meet indoors for sport, except for:

  • disability sport
  • sports with your household or support bubble
  • sports as part of the curriculum in education
  • supervised sport and physical activity for under-18s (including those who were under 18 on 31 August 2020), this should be limited to 15 participants

You should follow the guidance:

Elite sportspeople

Elite sportspeople (or those on an official elite sports pathway) can meet in larger groups or meet indoors to compete and train. They can be joined by their coaches if necessary, or their parents and guardians if they’re under 18.

Funerals and linked commemorative events

Funerals are allowed with limits on attendance, and must only take place in COVID-secure venues or in public outdoor places. The venue manager or event organiser must take the required precautions, including the completion of a risk assessment.

Funerals can be attended by a maximum of 30 people and may take place indoors. Linked religious or belief-based commemorative events, such as wakes, stone settings and ash scatterings can also continue with up to 15 people in attendance.

Anyone working is not counted in these limits. Social distancing should be maintained between people who do not live together or share a support bubble.

There is guidance for arranging or going to a funeral during the coronavirus pandemic.

Weddings and civil partnership ceremonies and receptions

No more than 15 people (of any age) can be at a wedding, civil partnership ceremony or reception. Anyone working is not counted in these limits. Social distancing should be maintained between people who do not live together or share a support bubble.

There is further guidance for small marriages and civil partnerships.

Places of worship

You can go to places of worship for a service. When a service is taking place indoors you must not mingle with anyone outside of your household or support bubble. You should maintain social distancing at all times, staying 2 metres apart from anyone who is not in your household or support bubble.

When a service is taking place outdoors, you must not mingle in groups larger than 6, except for groups from up to 2 households (a household can include an existing support bubble, if eligible). You should maintain strict social distancing from other groups and households at all times.

You should follow the national guidance on the safe use of places of worship.

Volunteering and charitable services

You can gather above the limit of 6 people or 2 households, or gather indoors, where this is reasonably necessary in order to provide voluntary or charitable services.

You should follow the guidance on Volunteering during coronavirus (COVID-19).

Other circumstances where you can gather in groups of more than six people or two households

Maternity

You can be indoors with someone who is giving birth or receiving treatment in hospital. You should check the relevant hospital’s visiting policies. There is further NHS guidance on pregnancy and coronavirus.

Avoiding injury or harm

You can gather in larger groups or indoors to provide emergency assistance, and to avoid injury or illness, or to escape a risk of harm (including domestic abuse).

Compassionate visits

You can gather in larger groups or indoors, with people outside your household or support bubble, to:

  • visit someone who is dying
  • visit someone in a care home (if permitted under care home guidance), hospital or hospice
  • to accompany a family member or close friend to a medical appointment.

Additional exemptions

There are further reasonable excuses. For example, you may gather in larger groups or meet indoors:

  • to fulfil legal obligations
  • to carry out activities related to buying, selling or moving house
  • for the purpose of COVID-secure protests or picketing where the organiser has taken the required precautions, including completing a risk assessment
  • where it is reasonably necessary to support voting in an election or referendum (such as vote counting or for legal observers).

Those who are campaigning for a specific outcome in elections or referendums can carry out door-to-door campaigning activity in accordance with guidance on elections and referendums during COVID-19.

You can gather in larger groups or meet indoors for gatherings within criminal justice accommodation or immigration detention centres.

If you break the rules

The police can take action against you if you meet in larger groups. This includes breaking up illegal gatherings and issuing fines (fixed penalty notices).

You can be given a fixed penalty notice of £200 for the first offence, doubling for further offences up to a maximum of £6,400.

You can be fined £800 if you go to a private indoor gathering such as a house party of over 15 people from outside your household, which will double for each repeat offence to a maximum level of £6,400.

If you hold, or are involved in holding, an illegal gathering of over 30 people, the police can fine you £10,000.

Care home visits

You should check the guidance on visiting care homes during COVID-19 to find out how visits should be conducted. Residents must follow the national restrictions if they are having a visit out of the care home.

There is separate guidance for people in supported living.

Staying away from home overnight

You can stay overnight in a campsite, caravan, boat, second home, or other self-contained accommodation. This should only be with your household or support bubble. You must not stay overnight with anyone not in your household or support bubble, unless a legal exemption applies.

Self-contained holiday accommodation may reopen. This is accommodation in which facilities are restricted to exclusive use of a single household/support bubble. Such facilities include:

  • kitchens
  • sleeping areas
  • bathrooms
  • indoor communal areas such as lounges, sitting areas and any lifts, staircases or internal corridors for entry and exit into the accommodation

Further guidance on hotels and other guest accommodation is available for self-contained holiday accommodation that is able to reopen.

A full list of reasons can be found in the guidance on closing certain businesses and venues in England.

Travelling within England

You should continue to minimise the amount you travel where possible. This means you should avoid making unnecessary trips and combine trips where possible.

If you need to travel:

  • walk or cycle where possible
  • you must not share a car with anyone from outside your household or your support bubble, unless your journey is made for an exempt reason
  • plan ahead and avoid busy times and routes on public transport
  • regularly wash or sanitise your hands
  • wear a face covering on public transport, unless you’re exempt
  • stay 2 metres apart from people you do not live with where possible, or 1 metre with extra precautions in place (such as wearing face coverings or increasing ventilation indoors)

You must follow the social contact rules when travelling in private vehicles. This means you must not share enclosed private vehicles with anyone from outside your household or your support bubble, unless an exemption exists, such as you are sharing the vehicle with someone working (e.g. a taxi). Where a vehicle is open air, you must follow the outdoor gathering limits.

There is additional guidance on safer travel, including on the safe use of public transport.

Travelling within the UK, the Republic of Ireland and the Channel Islands

Travelling to England

Across the different parts of the Common Travel Area (the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man), there may be rules in place that restrict travel to England. You should check the restrictions in place where you intend to travel from before making arrangements to travel.

You should check the restrictions in place where you intend to travel from before making arrangements to travel.

Provided you are permitted to travel from another part of the Common Travel Area (the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man), you may enter England and are not required to quarantine on arrival. If you do travel to England, you must follow the restrictions on what you can and cannot do.

Travelling from England

Across the different parts of the Common Travel Area (the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man), there may be rules in place that restrict travel from England. You do not need a reasonable excuse to leave England to travel to other parts of the UK, Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland. You should check the restrictions in place where you intend to travel to before making arrangements to travel.

Travelling to or from Northern Ireland

Currently in Northern Ireland it is against the law to leave home without a reasonable excuse. Those arriving into Northern Ireland from another part of the Common Travel Area are asked to self-isolate for 10 days upon arrival. There are a number of exemptions to this request.

Travelling to or from Scotland

Non-essential travel between Scotland and the rest of the UK, and the wider Common Travel Area, remains restricted. This means it is illegal to enter or leave Scotland unless you have a reasonable excuse. Travelling for a holiday is not a reasonable excuse. The guidance provides advice on reasonable excuses to travel to and from Scotland.

Travelling to or from Wales

Non-essential travel between Wales and the rest of the UK, and the wider Common Travel Area, remains restricted. This means it is illegal to enter or leave Wales unless you have a reasonable excuse. Travelling for a holiday is not a reasonable excuse. The guidance provides advice on reasonable excuses to travel to and from Wales.

International travel

Travelling internationally from England

You can only travel internationally from England where you have a reasonable excuse to leave the UK, such as work. International holidays are not permitted.

Some jobs qualify for exemptions for certain travel related requirements, such as self isolation and testing. See guidance on which jobs and circumstances qualify for travel exemptions.

If you do need to travel overseas (and have a reasonable excuse to do so), you are required to complete a mandatory outbound ‘Declaration to Travel’ form unless an exemption applies to you. You must state your reasons for travel on the form before leaving the UK.

You should also consider the public health advice in the country you are visiting. You should look at the rules in place at your destination and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice. You should do this even if you are returning to a place you’ve visited before.

Travelling to England from outside the UK

All visitors to England are subject to the coronavirus restriction rules.

People planning to travel to England should follow the guidance on entering the UK. Before travelling to the UK, you must complete a passenger locator form and have proof of a negative COVID-19 test result, unless you are exempt.

All arrivals will need to take a coronavirus (COVID-19) test on day 2 and day 8 of quarantining. Arrivals must book a travel test package. See the guidance on how to quarantine when you arrive in England.

You cannot travel to the UK if you’ve visited or passed through a country where travel to the UK has been banned in the last 10 days, unless you’re:

  • a British national
  • an Irish national
  • anyone with residence rights in the UK

Find out more about the red list travel ban countries

Everyone allowed to enter England who has visited or passed through a country where travel to the UK has been banned in the last 10 days must:

  • quarantine for 10 days in a managed quarantine hotel
  • take a coronavirus (COVID-19) test on or before day 2 and on or after day 8 of quarantining, the tests are included in the hotel package
  • follow the guidance on this page

See the guidance on booking and staying in a quarantine hotel when you arrive in England

Advice for visitors and foreign nationals in England

Foreign nationals are subject to the national restrictions.

If you are visiting the UK, you may return home. You should check whether there are any restrictions in place at your destination.

Moving home

You can still move home. People outside your household or support bubble should not help with moving house unless reasonably necessary.

Estate and letting agents and removals firms can continue to work. If you are looking to move, you can go to property viewings.

Follow the national guidance on moving home safely, which includes advice on social distancing, letting fresh air in, and wearing a face covering.

Financial support

Wherever you live, you may be able to get financial help.

See further information on business support and financial support if you’re off work because of coronavirus.

Businesses and venues

To reduce social contact, some businesses must remain closed or follow restrictions on how they provide goods and services. You can read the full list of businesses required to remain closed in England.

There is further guidance on reopening businesses and venues which explains which business will be permitted to open at each step of the roadmap.

From 12 April, further venues will be permitted to open. Unless a specific exemption exists, you must only visit these as a single household or bubble indoors, or in a group of 6 people or 2 households outdoors.

Outdoor areas at hospitality venues (cafes, restaurants, bars, pubs, social clubs, including in members’ clubs) can reopen. Hospitality venues can also provide takeaway alcohol. These venues may allow customers to use an inside bathroom and customers can order and pay indoors. At any premises serving alcohol, customers will be required to order, be served and eat/drink while seated (“table service”). Venues will be prohibited from providing smoking equipment such as shisha pipes, for use on the premises.

Outdoor attractions at venues such as animal attractions, theme parks, and skating rinks will also be permitted to reopen. A full list can be found here. This does not include outdoor cinemas and theatres, which will be limited to drive-in performances only. When going to these events, you must not share your vehicle with anyone outside your household or support bubble, unless there is an exemption, such as for providing care to a vulnerable person or for work purposes.

Businesses which are allowed to re-open that operate in otherwise closed attractions (such as a gift shop or a takeaway kiosk at an indoor museum) may only open where they are a self-contained unit and can be accessed directly from the street.

Personal care services (including those provided from a mobile setting), indoor sports facilities, self-contained accommodation, and public buildings (such as community centres) may also reopen.

Businesses eligible to host childcare and supervised activities for children will now be able to host these activities (including sport) for all children, regardless of circumstances.

Healthcare and public services

The NHS and medical services remain open, including:

  • dental services
  • opticians
  • audiology services
  • chiropody
  • chiropractors
  • osteopaths
  • other medical or health services, including services relating to mental health

The NHS continues to carry out urgent and non-urgent services safely. It is vital anyone who thinks they need any kind of medical care comes forward and gets help.

The majority of public services will continue. These include:

  • Jobcentre Plus sites
  • courts and probation services
  • civil registrations offices
  • passport and visa services
  • services provided to victims of crime
  • waste or recycling centres
  • getting an MOT

Driving lessons and learning to drive

Driving tests and driving lessons may resume. Further guidance on learning to drive during coronavirus is available.

You will be able to restart:

  • car driving lessons
  • car and trailer driving lessons
  • large goods vehicle (LGV) training
  • driving instructor training

The following types of tests will restart:

  • theory tests
  • motorcycle tests
  • LGV driving tests
  • car and trailer driving tests
  •  

 

View and monitor the guidance here

 

General COVID-19 Advice

General advice from the Government about Coronavirus, including financial support, can be found here. 

Symptoms of COVID-19 are:

  • a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
  • a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
  • a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

If you have any of the symptoms above, stay at home and arrange to have a test to see if you have COVID-19, you should book a test.

If symptoms become unbearable you can access medical support by dialling NHS 111 or NHS 111 Online. After 10 days, if you still have a temperature you should continue to self-isolate and seek medical advice.

Some useful links can be found below:

Guidance for a possible or confirmed case of COVID-19 in households

Guidance on social distancing and meeting people outside your household

Guidance for travelling abroad

Guidance for those in Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland

Mental and physical wellbeing advice