COVID-19: guidance for the safe use of places of worship and special religious services and gatherings during the pandemic

The guidance provides advice on how places of worship can open, for limited permitted activities, in a manner that is safe and in line with social distancing guidelines.

Please note

This guidance is of a general nature and should be treated as a guide. In the event of any conflict between any applicable legislation (including the health and safety legislation) and this guidance, the applicable legislation shall prevail.

This guidance is national guidance that applies across England. Please consider if local restrictions are in place when reading and implementing this guidance, see local information.

This guidance is only applicable in England. For guidance in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, please refer to guidance from the relevant national governments.

Checklist for special religious services and gatherings

We recognise that detailed government guidance can be tricky to apply to unique situations, events or places. However, there are some key principles that should help us all make decisions that ensure we can all take part in special religious services safely.