More and more English regions are heading into tier four lockdown – with these rules in place
Tier four – a new addition to England’s tiered lockdown system – was introduced in December.
Tier one, two and three restrictions failed to control the coronavirus rates in some of the worst-hit areas, and so the Government introduced a fourth tier.
Initially, London and parts of South East England were placed in tier four, and were later joined by areas Cambridgeshire and Sussex on Boxing Day.
More regions – including the North East, Greater Manchester, most of the West Midlands and more – have been announced as entering into tier four imminently.
Here, we detail tier four lockdown rules. What can you do, what services are open and what’s not allowed?
The new tier four rules are more akin to the restrictions the country faced back in March.
In tier four areas, pubs and restaurants must close, as well as ‘non-essential’ retail.
Residents must not leave or be outside of their home or garden except unless they have a ‘reasonable excuse’ such as food shopping, work (if they cannot work from home), exercise and medical reasons.
In tier four areas, gyms and swimming pools must shut as well as indoor entertainment venues such as cinemas and bowling alleys.
Hairdressers and beauty services are not permitted to operate.
Tier four residents must not stay away overnight from home and are required to work from home if they can.
They must also refrain from leaving tier four areas or travelling abroad, except for limited reasons including work and education.
Weddings, civil partnerships and funerals are allowed with strict limits on attendance – funerals can be attended by a maximum of 30 people while up to six people can attend wedding ceremonies.
Wedding and civil partnership ceremonies should only take place in ‘exceptional circumstances’ such as if one of the people getting married is seriously ill and not expected to cover.
People are allowed to meet up with one other person from another household outdoors in a public space for exercise or essential purposes but indoor socialising is strictly off-limits.
Places of worship will stay open for ‘communal worship.’
Support bubbles and childcare bubbles are exempt from the rules, and people are allowed outdoors for unlimited exercise.
Breaking the rules carried a Fixed Penalty Notice of £200 for the first offence, doubling for further offences, up to a maximum of £6,400.
The following parts of England are in tier four, or will be in tier four, from December 31:
Not sure what tier you’re in? Use the government’s postcode checker to find out what rules your local area must follow.
New lockdowns have been introduced in Scotland and Northern Ireland, while restrictions that were eased for Christmas Day in Wales have been re-imposed.
The whole of mainland Scotland has been plunged into level four restrictions with the country following a five-tier system.
The rules are similar to tier four rules in England, carrying a ban on all essential retail and indoor socialising.
In Northern Ireland, the new measures are the toughest yet, with a form of curfew in operation from 8pm, shops closed from that time and all indoor and outdoor gatherings prohibited until 6am.
Non-essential retail will close throughout the next six weeks, as will close-contact services, while hospitality outlets will be limited to takeaway services.
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