During the four week national lockdown people are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible, but there are several exceptions to this rule.
If people leave their house for any reason other than the things listed below they face being slapped with a £200 fine by police.
Under the law, in force until December 2, no person may “leave or be outside” the place they are living without an excuse set out in law.
The place where you are living includes your home, garden, passages, stairways, garages and outhouses - reports Mirror Online.
But it doesn’t include second homes or holiday homes, and the law has an exemption for people who are homeless. Protests are also not allowed.
If you break this rule, you are breaking the law. However, you’re unlikely to get a criminal record.
That’s because, by accepting a £200 on-the-spot fine, you waive any risk of going to court.
If the fine is paid within 14 days, it halves to £100. For repeat offenders it doubles each time, up to £6,400.
Police don’t need to prove you broke the law to give you a fine - only to suspect you did so. That means you could find yourself fighting a fine in court.
Keep up to date with coronavirus cases in your area by adding your postcode below
If you lose in court you'll get a higher fine and a criminal record, so it's important that you know what you can and cannot do under law.
Here's all the reasons you can leave the house under the new laws
Reasons you can leave the house during lockdown
- If it is ‘reasonable necessary’ to “buy goods or obtain services from” businesses that remain open - either for yourself, household members, or a “vulnerable person” or their household member.
- To withdraw or deposit money in a bank or building society or similar business.
- To “take exercise outside”, either alone, with members of your household or support/childcare bubble, or with one person from another household. Under this exemption, there must just be two of you in total - though kids under 5 don’t count towards the limit.
- To attend a place of worship (though they’re only staying open for private prayer).
- To attend a Remembrance Sunday event.
- To visit estate or letting agents or show homes; view properties to buy or rent; prepare a property to move, buy, rent or sell; or move house.
- To visit someone in your support bubble or childcare bubble. A childcare bubble is when two households join together for informal childcare for a child under 13.
- To pick up takeaway food or drink.
- To visit a waste disposal or recycling centre.
- To attend work, education or training, or provide voluntary or charitable series, if it’s not reasonable to do so from home.
- To provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person.
- To provide emergency assistance to any person.
- To fulfil a legal obligation, including attending court or satisfying bail conditions.
- To access social services, DWP services, victim of crime services, and asylum and immigration services and interviews.
- If you’re an elite athlete, to continue training or competition.
- To seek medical assistance, including to donate blood, attend medical trials or take Covid tests or a vaccine.
- To avoid injury or illness or escape risk of harm.
- To be with a mother giving birth, at her request.
- To visit a household, close family member or friend who is being treated in hospital, a hospice or care home (local rules on visits permitting).
- To attend a support group, including for domestic abuse victims, addicts and LGBT people, or provide or receive respite care.
- To visit a household, close family member or friend you reasonably believe is dying.
- To attend a funeral or wake, or burial ground or garden of remembrance, though there are limits on the numbers who can attend.
- To attend a marriage or civil partnership, but again there are strict limits on numbers.
- To allow children with separated parents to move between those two parents’ homes.
- There are also certain exemptions for children in care and those preparing to be adopted.
- To visit a vet.
- To walk or otherwise exercise your pet.
- To return home if you were on holiday before the lockdown came into force.
- To visit a close family or friend in prison.
