Coronavirus: How lockdown rules are changing across the UK – a full list

All four UK nations are continuing to loosen their lockdown measures to allow people more freedom.

However, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland differ from each other as they make their own decisions on what can be eased in relation to the coronavirus outbreak.

Each government’s measures need to be reviewed every three weeks by law and are based on scientific advice, such as keeping “the R number” below one.

ENGLAND

Boris Johnson has detailed extra powers for ministers and local councils to act on outbreaks, but he also revealed key dates for more reopenings in England.

From 17 July:

• Advice to avoid using public transport was lifted, allowing people to make non-essential journeys on buses and trains

From 25 July:

• Gyms, fitness centres, indoor pools and dance studios can reopen

From 1 August:

• Employers can discuss with staff whether it is safe to return to their workplace
• Most remaining leisure centres can reopen
• Indoor performances with live audiences – including in theatres and sports stadiums – can resume if pilots are successful
• Wedding receptions for up to 30 people can resume
• Bowling lanes, skating rinks, casinos and beauticians can reopen as long as they have measures in place to reduce COVID-19 transmission

From October:

• Audiences may be able to return to sports stadiums following pilot projects
• Conferences and business events may be allowed to restart

From November:

• Social distancing measures may be eased if the prevalence of COVID-19 falls significantly

What restrictions are still in place?

• People still can’t hug their loved ones and are expected to maintain social distancing with other groups
• Nightclubs and soft play areas must remain closed for now

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What is already allowed:

• Beauticians, tattooists, spas and tanning salons can open, but with restrictions for high-contact treatments
• Go to outdoor swimming pools, but in reduced numbers
• Attend outdoor theatre, opera, dance and music performances and classes
• Club level cricket can be played again
• Visit pubs and restaurants, while observing social distancing
• Get a haircut
• Go on holiday in self-contained accommodation or go to a leisure facility, such as a theme park
• Visit community centres
• Gather in groups of up to six people in public or private outdoor spaces, as long as social distancing was practised
• Visit non-essential shops
• Play sports such as tennis and football with the people that they meet, but only if it is possible to keep a two-metre distance
• Return to school if they are in reception, Year 1, Year 6 or of nursery age – despite teaching unions expressing serious doubts
• Meet loved ones if they had been “shielding” from the virus
• Visit outdoor retail spaces such as outdoor markets and car showrooms where social distancing can be observed
• Return home from university if it was a permanent move
• Go to property viewings in person and visit agents for both sales and rentals
• Invite nannies and childminders to come to their house to look after children, provided good public health measures are adhered to
• Form a “support bubble” with one other household – meeting inside and staying overnight – if they live alone or are a single parent with a child under 18

SCOTLAND

Not before 31 July:

• Non-essential offices and call centres can re-open then, but working from home and working flexibly remain the default position
• Live indoor and outdoor events, including theatres, music venues and bingo halls, with physical distancing and restricted numbers
• Indoor gyms and outdoor contact sports
• Driving lessons

What is already allowed:

• Outdoors – one household can meet up to four other households at a time – up to 15 people in total
• Indoors – one household can meet up to two other households at a time – up to eight people in total, including overnight stays
• A household can meet up to four other households per day in total
• The limit on the number of other households you can meet per day (indoors or outdoors) doesn’t apply to people under 18
• Children aged 11 or under no longer need to physically distance indoors. Young people aged 12-17 must continue to physically distance
• Extended Households: Non-cohabiting partners (and any children under 18 in their households) can form an extended household without physical distancing
• Organised outdoor contact sports are allowed for those under 18
• Non-essential shops inside shopping centres have re-opened
• Places of worship are open for services
• All holiday accommodation is permitted, as is indoor hospitality and hairdressers and barbers, museums, galleries, monuments, libraries and cinemas
• All childcare providers can open subject to individual provider arrangements
• Restrictions have been eased at funerals, marriage ceremonies and civil partnerships registrations

WALES

20 July:

• Playgrounds will be reopening

Not before 24 July:

• Campsites and other businesses with shared facilities

Not before 27 July:

• Indoor cinemas, museums, galleries, archive services, tattooists and body piercing

Not before 3 August:

• Pubs and restaurants cannot open indoors until then, when a decision will be taken on the “latest conditions and evidence”

What is already allowed:

• People are able to travel freely throughout Wales for any reason
• Pubs and restaurants can serve people outdoors
• Conditions requiring people to self-isolate when returning back in to the country will be relaxed for those coming from a large number of countries
• Self-catering, self-contained accommodation can reopen
• Outdoor attractions can begin welcoming guests
• People from two different households in the same local area can meet up outdoors, but they must continue to maintain social distancing and strict hand hygiene
• They must also stay local, meaning they mustn’t – as a general rule – travel more than five miles from home
• Exceptions will be people travelling to work, to seek care or shopping for essentials if they aren’t available locally
• Vulnerable people who have been “shielding” from the virus have been advised they can exercise at times that are not too busy
• People could carry out unlimited exercise outdoors but must “stay local”, starting and ending at home and only with people from their household – with a quick break to eat something
• Garden centres can reopen
• Recycling centres and libraries can open
• All non-essential retail can open within social distancing guidelines
• Private prayer can take place in places of worship
• Childcare facilities can begin to reopen
• House viewings can take place and postponed property sales can be completed

NORTHERN IRELAND

29 July:

• Seated venues such as bingo halls can reopen

7 August:

• Leisure centres can reopen, as can indoor sports courts and skating rinks

28 August:

• Socially-distanced spectators will be able to return to indoor events
• Open-air museums will open in late August

What you can already to:

• Go to hair salons, barbers, nail bars, tattoo shops and reflexology
• Playgrounds and libraries have reopened, and competitive sport has returned
• Caravan parks, campsites and self-contained tourist accommodation have been allowed to open since 26 June
• Places of worship have been open since 29 June, and are already available for private prayer, while drive-in church services and cinemas are also allowed
• Elite athletes have been able to use indoor training facilities from 29 June
• Pubs, bars, restaurants, hotels, cafes, coffee shops and betting shops have been allowed to reopen from 3 July
• Indoor pubs and bars opening have to primarily function as restaurants and offer substantial meals with table service
• Visitor attractions barring museums and galleries can also reopen from 3 July
• Groups of up to six people who do not share a household are allowed to meet outdoors two metres apart
• Garden and recycling centres have reopened
• Non-contact outdoor activities are allowed, including fishing, golf, tennis and some water sports
• No restrictions on private travel, as long as it is in Northern Ireland
• Use face coverings if you cannot social distance

(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: How lockdown rules are changing across the UK – a full list