The map of Britain's coronavirus rules

01/10/2020

The map of Britain’s coronavirus rules: As confusion reigns, where can you meet friends for a pint inside or outside? And will the lockdown police ask you for a ‘reasonable excuse’?

Britain’s complex coronavirus rules have confused even the Prime Minister as numerous different restrictions are put in place across the country to try and keep the number of coronavirus cases down.

Aside from the standard rules in England, eight different regions have additional restrictions or rules that differ from those in place in England.

In total around 16.6m people in the UK are subject to local lockdowns, one quarter of the population.

Among the subtle differences are those between different local lockdown areas in England. For example in the North East, residents are legally banned from meeting people from outside their households inside pubs – but are free to do so outdoors.

In Bolton pubs and restaurants are closed completely and can do takeout only while funerals and weddings are limited to six people. In the North East the weddings and funeral limit remains 15.

Also in Bolton, the government advises residents of these areas not to mix outdoors, but does not ban it.

The devolved regions also have different rules. The rule of six applies to children in England, but not to under 12s in Scotland and under-11s in Wales.

In Scotland the rule of six is limited to people from two households in Scotland. Residents are not allowed to host guests in their own homes, if the guests are from outside their household or support bubble.

In Wales the rule of six is limited to people of up to four households indoors. Outdoors, people can gather in groups of up to 30 but should maintain social distancing from people from other households.

In Welsh local lockdown areas people can meet in their own gardens in groups of up to 30, but in English local lockdown areas the rules apply to gardens as a well as inside homes. Welsh people are also banned from leaving local lockdown areas unless they have a ‘reasonable excuse’.

Welsh wedding ceremonies do not have a limit on the number of attendees, but they must wear masks including the bride and groom. Welsh wedding receptions are limited to 30 people.

These are the rules:

England:

Social gatherings

No more than six people are permitted to gather indoors or outdoors – with a few exceptions, which include going to school, work, or ‘exceptional life events’.

Children are not exempt from the rules, unlike in Wales and Scotland

Breaking these new restrictions mean fines of £100, doubling for each incident up to £3,200.

Pubs and Restaurants

Pubs and restaurants across England must close at 10pm. The rule of six still applies but applies to each group inside – not the venue as a whole.

Venues are now ‘legally required’ to take and keep the contact details of a member from every group of visitors for 21 days. This is so they can pass them on to NHS Test and Trace ‘without delay’ if needed.

The hospitality venue could face a fine if it fails to stick to the Covid security standards and the Government pledged to back local authorities to make ‘further and faster use of their powers’ against venues who break the rules.

Covid-19 secure venues, such as places of worship, restaurants and hospitality venues, can still host larger numbers in total but groups of up to six must not mix or form larger groups.

Travel

The rule of six limit does not apply to strangers gathering in the same space, such as a train or bus.

Government guidelines say: ‘You can help control coronavirus and travel safely by walking and cycling, if you can. However, where this is not possible, you can use public transport or drive.

‘If you do use public transport, you must wear a face covering and you should follow the safer travel guidance for passengers.’

Schools

Face masks not required in schools outside local lockdown areas. Face masks are required for school pupils in Year 7 or above in communal areas in areas where local lockdowns are in place.

Work

The six person limit does not apply to gatherings for work. Offices should take steps to ensure social distancing is maintained.

The government initially urged workers to return to the office, but has since U-turned and called for anyone who can work from home to do so to try to drive down the number of cases.

Sport

You can continue to take part in organised sporting or licensed physical activity in groups of more than 6 outdoors and up to 6 people indoors (for over 18s).

Organised dance and exercise classes can take place in groups of more than six, but you must not mix with more than five other participants.

Masks

Face coverings have to be worn on public transport, in shops and supermarkets. They are also needed in other indoor venues such as museums, cinemas, galleries and places of worship.

The government also advised people to where them wherever they cannot keep to social distancing guidelines.

Hospitality and retail workers now have to wear face coverings at work, as well as passengers in taxis.

Weddings and Funerals

Weddings are limited to 15 people and funerals are limited to 30 people. Staff working at these events are not included.

North East:

Seven local authorities in the North East are subject to some of the strictest restrictions, which came into force on Wednesday. The affected areas are:

Durham
Gateshead
Newcastle
Northumberland
North Tyneside
South Tyneside
Sunderland

How are the rules different to the rest of England?

Social gatherings

Residents are legally banned from meeting friends who are not in their household or support bubble indoors. This includes in their homes or gardens, pubs and restaurants. But it does not include anywhere outdoors including pub beer gardens.

The police will be able to take action against those who break these rules, including asking people to disperse and issuing fixed penalty notices starting at £200 for those who participate in illegal gatherings.

While the rules do not ban people from meeting under the rule of six outside, the government advice states residents should not ‘socialise with people you do not live with’. It also advises against visiting care home residents.

Pubs and Restaurants

Hospitality venues also have to close at 10pm like the rest of the country. It is against the law to sit in a pub with someone you do not live with or is in your bubble.

Travel

Public transport is restricted to ‘essential trips’, be it work or school or looking after an elderly relative. Going outside the area is also restricted to ‘essential’ reasons.

But this is not law, this is just government advice so it is left to people to judge for themselves what is essential.

Schools

Face masks are required for school pupils in Year 7 or above in communal areas in areas.

Work

Same as the rest of England

Masks

Same as the rest of England

Sport

Sports can be played outdoors with more than six people, but indoors they are limited to six people out of only one ‘one household and support bubble’, the government say.

Organised dance and exercise classes can take place in groups of more than 6 outdoors, where a risk assessment has been carried out, but you must not mix with more than five other participants.

Weddings and Funerals

Same as the rest of the country.

Bolton

Bolton was put under tighter lockdown measures on September 5 as the stubborn infection rate remained high. At one point the rate increased to 99 cases per 100,000 people per week, which was the highest in England.

Social gatherings

People are not allowed to host people from outside their own household or support bubble in their houses or garden.

Meeting outside is allowed, but pubs and restaurants are closed.

Pubs and Restaurants

Pubs in Bolton are shut to stem a flare-up in infections. They can only serve takeaway, and are obliged to close completely between 10pm and 5am.

Travel

People can travel in and out of Bolton for work, education reason or other excuses deemed ‘essential’.

Schools

Face masks are required for school pupils in Year 7 or above in communal areas in areas.

Work

Same as rest of England.

Masks

Same as rest of England.

Sport

You can continue to take part in organised sporting or licensed physical activity in groups of more than 6 outdoors and up to 6 people indoors (for over 18s).

Weddings and Funerals

In Bolton, a maximum of 6 people should to attend these events. The government says this should be limited to close family of the people getting married or the person who has died, or people who live(d) or formed a support bubble with them. A close friend can attend a funeral only if there are no household members or immediate families.

Northern and Southern Wales

From 6pm on Thursday, residents of Denbighshire, Flintshire, Conwy and Wrexham will be banned from mixing indoors with other households – affecting 500,000 people. The full list of Welsh areas in lockdown include:

Carmarthensire
Swansea
Neath Port Talbot
Bridgend
Rhondda Cynon Taf
Merhtyr Tydfil
Caerphilly
Blaenau Gwent
Torfaen
Newport
Cardiff
Vale of Glamorgan
Bridgend
Conwy
Denbighshire
Flintshire
Wrexham

How do the rules differ from England?

Social gatherings:

In the Welsh local lockdown areas meeting anyone from outside your own household indoors is banned.

Meeting them in gardens or outdoors is allowed.

However people are allowed to gather in groups of thirty outdoors – including in private gardens.

Outside the local lockdown areas, the rule of six applies indoors in Wales but is limited to people from four different households.

The rule of six in Wales applies only to children 11 and over.

Travel

In the Welsh local lockdown areas travel to another area is banned unless an individual can provide a ‘reasonable excuse’. This can include going to school or work.

If the individual cannot provide a reasonable excuse they can be fined and prosecuted by the courts.

Pubs and Restaurants

Pubs and restaurants must close at 10pm and can provide table service only.

Schools

Schools are unaffected by the Welsh local lockdowns. All children over 11 are advised to wear masks in indoor public areas.

Work

The Welsh local lockdowns do not affect the rules on working from home. The Welsh government advises employees to work from home wherever possible and should not return to the work place unless there is a ‘clearly demonstrated’ need for them to do so.

Masks

The Welsh government legally requires face masks in indoor public places for all people over the age of 11.

Weddings and funerals

Attendees at Welsh weddings and funerals are required to wear face masks. This includes the bride and groom who can remove their masks to kiss.

There is no limit on the size of the ceremonies. Receptions and wakes are limited to 30 people.

Sport

Organised outdoor outdoor sport is allowed but ‘social disatncing must be maintained at all times and particiapnts are limited to 30 people.

Gyms and leisure centres can remain open but users must wear masks when not performing strenuous exercise. Indoor sports that cannot be socially distanced are banned.

Cycling is allowed but only within the boundary of the local lockdown area.

The rest of Wales

Other areas in Wales have so far managed to steer clear of new restrictions but are still subject to the Welsh rules.

How do the rules differ from England?

Social gatherings

The rule of six applies indoors in Wales but is limited to people from four different households. However people are allowed to gather in groups of thirty outdoors – including in private gardens.

The rule of six in Wales applies only to children 11 and over.

Travel

People from the rest of Wales are not allowed to travel into the local lockdown areas unless they have a ‘reasonable excuse’

They are allowed to go on holiday or travel for other ‘legitimate’ reasons.

Pubs and Restaurants

Pubs and restaurants must close at 10pm and can provide table service only

Schools

All children over 11 are advised to wear masks in indoor public areas.

Work

The Welsh government advises employees to work from home wherever possible and should not return to the work place unless there is a ‘clearly demonstarted’ need for them to do so.

Masks

The Welsh government requires face masks in indoor public places for all people over the age of 11.

Weddings and funerals

Attendees at Welsh weddings and funerals are required to wear face masks. This includes the bride and groom who can remove their masks to kiss.

There is no limit on the size of the ceremonies. Receptions and wakes are limited to 30 people.

Sport

Organised outdoor outdoor sport is allowed but ‘social distancing must be maintained at all times and participants are limited to 30 people.

Gyms and leisure centres can remain open but users must wear masks when not performing strenuous exercise. Indoor sports that cannot be socially distanced are banned.

Scotland

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon last week took the Covid-19 response a step further in Scotland, proving to be moving more cautiously than neighbouring England once again. Areas in lockdown north of the border are:

West Dunbartonshire
East Dunbartonshire
Glasgow City
Renfrewshire
East Renfrewshire
South Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire

How do the rules differ from England?

Social gatherings

The rule of six applies indoors and outdoors in Scotland, but it also has a limit of individuals from two households.

Residents of Scotland are not allowed to host people from outside their own household in their own homes. They can host people in their garden but must abide by the above rule of six.

Pubs and Restaurants

People are allowed to meet in pub beer gardens – six people from a maximum of two households. They close at 10pm.

Travel

Same as England.

Schools

Face masks are mandatory in communal areas of secondary schools.

Work

Everyone who can work from home should do. Non-essential offices and call centres should not yet re-open.

Masks

People have to wear face coverings in: aquariums, indoor zoos or visitor farms, and any other indoor tourist, heritage or cultural site, banks, building societies and credit unions, cinemas, community centres, crematoriums and funeral directors, libraries, museums and galleries, places of worship, post offices, storage and distribution facilities, including collection and drop off points, bingo halls, casinos, bowling alleys, amusement arcades and other leisure facilities (such as snooker and pool halls), indoor funfairs, indoor fitness studios, gyms, swimming pools or other indoor leisure centres, indoor skating rinks.

Sport

People can take part in organized outdoor sport. Indoors, contact sports are not allowed and social distancing must be maintained.

Weddings and Funerals

Weddings, civil partnership ceremonies and funerals should have no more than 20 people indoors or outdoors.

North West

Twenty-six other areas in the North are subject to some restrictions. The affected areas are:

Blackburn
Blackpool
Burnley
Chorley
Fylde
Halton
Hyndburn
Knowsley
Lancaster
Liverpool
Pendle
Preston
Ribble Valley
Rossendale
Sefton
South Ribble
St Helens
Warrington
West Lancashire
Wirral
Wyre
Bradford
Calderdale
Kirklees
Leeds
Greater Manchester

Social gatherings

People are not allowed to host people from outside their own household or support bubble in their houses or garden.

While the rules do not ban people from meeting under the rule of six in pubs or restaurants, the government has issued advice that states residents should not ‘socialise with people you do not live with’. It also advises against visiting care home residents.

Pubs and Restaurants

Pubs and restaurants must shut at 10pm. The guidelines advise that social contact with other households should be avoided in, restaurants, cafes, shops, places of worship, community centres, leisure and entertainment venues, or visitor attractions and parks. But it is not banned.

Travel

Within most of the North West lockdown public transport is restricted to ‘essential trips’, be it work or school or looking after an elderly relative. Going outside the area is also restricted to ‘essential’ reasons.

But this is not law, this is just government advice so it is left to people to judge for themselves what is essential.

The Greater Manchester area is exempt, apart from Oldham where residents have been instructed to avoid using public transport and instead walk or cycle where they can.

Listing acceptable reasons for locals to catch a bus, train or tram, the government website includes: to get to and from work; to get essential food or medical supplies including click and collect services; to support someone who is vulnerable, if no one else can do so; to travel to and from the homes of others in your support bubble; to attend an early years setting, school or college, or to accompany a child who is attending an early years setting, school or college, where necessary; to fulfil legal obligations; to seek medical care, or avoid illness, injury or harm.

Residents can still go on holiday wherever they choose – subject to following the Foreign Office travel guidance – as long as they only go with people in their bubble.

Schools

Face masks are required for school pupils in Year 7 or above in communal areas in areas.

Work

Same as rest of England.

Masks

Same as rest of England.

Sport

Same as rest of England.

Weddings and Funerals

Same as rest of England.

West Midlands

Britain’s second largest city and three surrounding areas were placed into a local lockdown two weeks ago amid concerns the restrictions will spread to other regions.

Birmingham
Sandwell
Solihull
Wolverhampton

Social gatherings

People are not allowed to host people from outside their own household or support bubble in their houses or garden.

Meeting outside and in pubs is allowed but only under the rule of six.

Pubs and Restaurants

Pubs and restaurants must shut at 10pm.

Travel

If you live in the affected area, you can travel outside them. But you must not meet people you do not live with in their home or garden, whether inside or outside of the affected areas, unless they are in your support bubble.

Schools

Face masks are required for school pupils in Year 7 or above in communal areas in areas.

Work

Same as the rest of England.

Masks

Same as the rest of England.

Sport

Same as the rest of England.

Weddings and Funerals

Same as the rest of England.

Covid situation

Coronavirus cases are on the rise across Birmingham, with 12,995 pupils and 714 teachers back home self-isolating.

112 of the city’s schools have seen infections since reopening to students at the start of this month.

Leicester

The Department of Health and Social Care yesterday tweaked the rules in place for Leicester’s localised lockdown, with the changes also applying to:

Leicester city
Oadby
Wigston

Social gatherings

People are not allowed to host people from outside their own household or support bubble in their houses or garden.

Meeting outside and in pubs is allowed but only under the rule of six.

Leicester is the only area in the country that has had to remain under addition measures since the rest of the country was lifted from lockdown on July 4.

Vulnerable residents have been told to remain shielding until October 5.

After this date formal shielding will be paused in the area, and Leicester City Council will take over advising the local population on what to do.

Pubs and Restaurants

Same as the rest of England.

Travel

Same as the rest of England.

Schools

Face masks are required for school pupils in Year 7 or above in communal areas in areas. Parents have been asked to wear masks on the school run.

Work

Same as the rest of England.

Masks

Same as the rest of England.

Sport

Same as the rest of England.

Weddings and Funerals

Same as the rest of England.

Are there any loopholes?

Despite vast swathes of England, Scotland and Wales being under some form of local lockdown, there are some loopholes people could exploit.

Get a pint after 10pm

Punters can still get their hands on a draft pint after 10pm if they use establishments at motorway services because they are classed as an essential service.

The Hope and Champion is a Wetherspoon at Beaconsfield Services on the M40, in Buckinghamshire is one pub that can still legally serve after the curfew lasting until 5am. It provides food and drink for those on the roads, so now remains open later than other pubs.

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