Covid-19 case numbers are rising across the whole of the UK and
we need to take steps now to control the spread of the virus.
The Government will introduce new restrictions in England,
carefully judged to achieve the maximum reduction in the R number
with the minimum damage to lives and livelihoods.
The government will implement the following package:
-
Changing the guidance to ask people to
work from home where they can. To help contain
the virus, office workers who can work effectively from home
should do so over the winter. Where an employer, in
consultation with their employee, judges an employee can carry
out their normal duties from home they should do so. Public
sector employees working in essential services including in
educational settings should continue to go into work where
necessary. Anyone who cannot work from home should
continue to go to work in a COVID-secure workplace, such as
those delivering essential services and those working in
sectors like construction and manufacturing, hospitality, and
retail. This move will help reduce contacts, break transmission
between households and limit outbreaks, whilst providing as
little disruption as possible since many businesses already
have systems in place to support remote working.
-
Placing new restrictions on operating hours for
hospitality, leisure, entertainment and tourism
businesses, so that they close to the public between
10pm and 5am. This includes take- away, however delivery can
continue outside these hours. These hours are already being
used in local lockdown areas where experience suggests it
strikes the right balance, allowing businesses to trade for the
majority of the evening while reducing the risk of compliance
with social distancing measures breaking down. We have seen
from Belgium how effective operating restrictions can be, where
a decline in case numbers was seen after early closure measures
were introduced.
-
Putting more of our COVID-19 secure guidance for
businesses into law, to strengthen our ability to
enforce the aspects of the guidance that are most important to
reducing the spread. This includes requiring all pubs, bars and
restaurants to provide a table service only, to help reduce the
likelihood of people in hospitality venues coming into close
contact with others they wouldn’t normally meet - for example
if queuing at the bar and waiting to collect
orders.
-
Expanding the range of settings where these legal
obligations regarding specific COVID-Secure guidelines
will apply, including requiring leisure, entertainment, tourism
and close contact services to ensure people comply with the
rule of 6 and ensure appropriate social distancing.
-
Higher fines of up to £10,000 for businesses who break
Covid rules and the penalty for failing to wear a mask or
breaking the rule of six will double to £200 for a first
offence.
-
Reducing the list of exemptions to the ‘rule of
six’ to limit the risk of transmission through social
contact. This includes removing the exemptions
for adult indoor team sport, and further limiting the size of
weddings and wedding receptions to 15 people.
-
Pausing the planned 1 October changes for a return of
business events and socially distanced crowds at sporting
events.
-
Expanding the settings in which face coverings are
required to include those working in retail and
hospitality roles, customers in indoor hospitality (apart from
when eating or drinking) and passengers travelling in taxis and
private hire vehicles.
-
Giving the police and Local Authorities £60m more
funding to support a range of additional
enforcement activity. Ensuring everyone follows the
rules is vital to controlling the virus this winter, protecting
the NHS and saving lives. That is why we want to see
enforcement stepped up, in line with the growing risk from
non-compliance.
- To further free up the police to have a greater presence on
our streets they will have the option to draw on military
support, where required, using tried and tested
mechanisms. This would involve the military backfilling certain
duties, such as office roles and guarding protected sites, so
police officers can be out enforcing the virus response. This is
not about providing any additional powers to the military, or
them replacing the police in enforcement roles, and they will not
be handing out fines. It is about freeing up more police
officers.
Notes to editors
The following changes are from 00.01 Wednesday 23 September
- Requirement for customers to wear face coverings in taxis and
private hire vehicles
The following changes are from 00.01 on Thursday 24 September:
- The closure of premises between 22:00 and 5:00
- Measures to require relevant hospitality venues to provide
table service only
- Requirement for retail staff to wear face coverings
- Requirement for customers and staff to wear face coverings in
hospitality venues, where not sat down eating or drinking
- Removal of exemption to the rule of six for adult indoor
sport
- Higher penalties for individuals failing to wear a face mask
or breaking the rule of six
The following changes are
from 00.01 on Monday 28 September:
- Removing the exemption to the rule of six for
weddings/receptions
- The existing commitment to mandate self-isolation, and to
require businesses to ensure their employees comply
- An expansion to the businesses required to introduce
additional Covid secure requirements (to include leisure,
tourism, community and retail settings as well as hospitality)
- Additional requirements for businesses to ensure Covid-secure
guidance is implemented in their premises
- Introduction of higher penalties for businesses who are not
Covid secure
