Coronavirus restrictions: what you can and cannot do & financial support available
To find out more about current coronavirus restrictions and guidelines for childcare, going to work, meeting others, travel and others, click here.
To find out more about work and financial support, click here.
For business support, click here.
May 2021 - Step 3 of the Coronavirus Roadmap
From Monday 17 May, England is entering Step 3 of the Coronavirus Roadmap. This means that:
- Indoor hospitality can reopen and indoor entertainment can resume, including cinemas, museums, and children’s play areas.
- Up to 6 people or 2 households will be able to meet indoors and up to 30 people outdoors.
- All remaining outdoor entertainment can reopen, such as outdoor cinemas and performances. Some larger events will be able to take place, including conferences, theatre and concert performances, and sports events. Restrictions on the number of attendees will remain as set out in the Roadmap.
- Guidance on meeting family and friends will be updated. The public can make informed, personal decisions on close contact, such as hugging, with their friends and family. Close contact continues to carry a risk of catching or spreading COVID-19, and people must consider the risk to themselves and to others. COVID-secure rules remain for the workplace and businesses, such as in shops and hospitality.
- The Transport Secretary has confirmed that international travel can begin to safely reopen from 17 May, allowing people to go on foreign holidays to ‘green’ list countries. Strict border control measures will remain in place, including pre-departure tests and a PCR test on or before day two of their arrival back in the UK.
- Face coverings will no longer be needed in classrooms or for students in communal areas in secondary schools and colleges. Twice weekly home testing will remain to control infection rates.
- All remaining university students will be eligible to return to in-person teaching and learning from May 17, and should get tested twice a week upon return.
- Up to 30 people will now be able to attend weddings, receptions, and commemorative events including wakes, as well as standalone life-cycle events. These can take place outdoors or at any indoor Covid secure venue that is permitted to open. The number of people able to attend a funeral will be determined by the number that can be safely accommodated in the venue with social distancing in place.
- 30 people will be able to attend a support group or parent and child group. The limit will not apply to children under 5.
- Organised adult sport and exercise classes can resume indoors and saunas and steam rooms may reopen.
- Care homes residents will be able to have up to five named visitors, with two visitors able to attend at once provided they are tested and follow infection control measures. Residents will also have greater freedoms to leave their home without having to isolate on their return.
These rules are expected to remain in place until 19 July 2021, with some relaxation to the wedding industry from 21 June 2021.
From 21 June, there will no longer be a maximum number cap for attendees set out in law. Instead, the number of attendees at weddings, civil partnerships and receptions will be determined by how many people the venue or space can safely accommodate with social distancing measures in place. This will be based on the COVID-19 risk assessment of the venue or outdoor space, and the measures put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.Please check for further information here.
Always remember - ‘Hands. Face. Space.’
- hands – wash your hands regularly and for at least 20 seconds
- face – wear a face covering in indoor settings where social distancing may be difficult, and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet
- space – 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)
