National lockdown: Stay at Home

Coronavirus cases are rising rapidly across the country. You must stay at home. The single most important action we can all take is to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives. Find out what you can and cannot do:

lockdown

Leaving Home

You must not leave, or be outside of your home or garden, except for a very limited set of exemptions e.g. to shop for basic necessities, exercise, go to work if you cannot do so from home, or to escape risk of harm.

Meeting Others

You cannot leave your home to meet socially with anyone, except with your household or support bubble (if eligible to form one). Stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household or support bubble.

Exercise

You may exercise on your own, with your household or support bubble, or with one person from another household (when on your own). Stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household or support bubble.

Bars, Pubs and Restaurants

Hospitality closed aside from sales by takeaway (until 11pm), click-and-collect, drive-through or delivery. Alcohol cannot be purchased through takeaway or click-and-collect from hospitality venues.

Retail

Essential shops can open. Non-essential retail must close and can only run click-and- collect and delivery.

Work and Business

Everyone must work from home unless they are unable to do so.

Education

Early years settings open. Primary and secondary schools and colleges move to remote provision except for vulnerable children and children of critical workers. Most university students to move to remote learning.

Leisure and sporting facilities

Closed, with limited exceptions.

Accommodation

Closed, with limited exceptions.

Personal Care

Closed.

Entertainment

Closed.

Overnight stays

You must not stay overnight away from home. Limited exceptions apply e.g. to stay with your support bubble.

Weddings and Funerals

Funerals of up to 30 people permitted. Weddings up to 6 people permitted in exceptional circumstances. Wakes and other linked ceremonial events of up to 6 permitted.

Places of worship

Places of worship can remain open and communal worship is permitted, but you must not mix with those outside your household or support bubble.

Travelling

You must stay at home. If you do leave home for a very limited set of exemptions, you should stay local in the village, town, or part of the city where you live where possible. Do not travel abroad unless an exemption applies.

Clinically extremely vulnerable

Shielding reintroduced across England. You should not travel to work, school, college or university and should limit the time you spend outside the home. You should only go out for medical appointments, exercise or if it is essential.

Care home visits

Visits can take place with arrangements such as substantial screens, visiting pods, or behind windows. Close-contact indoor visits are not allowed. No visits will be permitted in the event of an outbreak but end of life visits are permitted in all circumstances.

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

Find out more