A further 65 Covid deaths have been announced with another 4,712 positive tests for the virus.
The number of confirmed cases is the first time since 28 September that daily cases have been below 5,000, when 4,044 were recorded.
It means the number of positive tests for Covid-19 recorded in the UK has risen to 4,223,232.
The data announced by the Goverment brings the UK total number of deaths to 124,566.
It is the second day in a row that the number of deaths announced has been below 100.
Separate figures published by the UK’s statistics agencies for deaths where Covid-19 has been mentioned on the death certificate, together with additional data on deaths that have occurred in recent days, show there have now been 145,000 deaths involving Covid-19 in the UK.
The new figures were released as millions of children to the classroom in England under the first easing of coronavirus restrictions.
Boris Johnson said at a Downing Street press conference that thanks to the “huge national effort to keep kids at home” the spread of coronavirus has been reduced significantly.
“So, today we’ve been able to take that crucial first step on what we hope is our cautious but irreversible road map to freedom,” Mr Johnson said.
Mr Johnson said more than a third of the UK population have now received a coronavirus vaccine.
He warned the number of patients being admitted to hospital with Covid-19 each day is eight times higher than “the lows of last summer” – it is “more vital than ever” to follow the rules.
