The government is scrambling to regain control of its messaging over the lockdown rules.
Boris Johnson will set out his "roadmap" for the easing of lockdown and Number 10 are concerned that front pages heralding a relaxing of the rules have confused the public.
Ministers are keen to insist the lockdown has not been lifted yet and people must stay at home during the bank holiday weekend.
Despite briefings coming from Downing Street ministers were anxiously trying to damp down the reports.
Asked by Radio 4's Today Programme if people were "really expected to stay home on Sunday but be allowed to sunbathe on Monday," Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said it was "helpful for people to know the direction we're going in".
He added: "People should accept very limited changes with maximum caution."
The Culture Secretary said "limited moves" to lift the lockdown would be made on Sunday and stressed that the social restrictions had not been changed for the current bank holiday weekend.
Oliver Dowden told BBC Breakfast: "The situation remains exactly as it has been for several weeks, that is people should be staying at home in order to protect the NHS and save lives. That hasn't changed.
"Once again we have that temptingly sunny bank holiday weekend coming up but please people should not be leaving home except for the limited reasons we've already set out."
Mr Dowden added: "The Prime Minister will set out the next steps. But as I have been at pains to say... and as the Prime Minister said to us at Cabinet yesterday, the health of the nation comes first so we need to proceed with caution.
"Expect limited moves to begin with and then, over time, if those are starting to work, we can start to go further and what we will be doing is setting out the different steps we could take further along the path so people know where we're going."
It came after Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told the daily press conference : “As we enter another long bank holiday weekend I think the message is very clear: follow the guidance. There is no change today in the guidance or in the rules, but the prime minister will set out a roadmap on Sunday.”
In fact its understood that the minor changes to the rules will include allowing people to take unlimited exercise, to visit garden centres and allowing Churches and other places of worship to open for private prayer.
Nicola Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford have moved to distance themselves from any easing.
The Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, warned that it would be a “potentially catastrophic mistake” to move too quickly.
And a statement from the Welsh government said: ""It is crucially important that the people of Wales are informed clearly and accurately about what, if any, changes are made to the current stay-at-home restrictions.
"Some of the reporting in today's newspapers is confusing and risks sending mixed messages to people across the UK."
“Having different approaches and rival strategies isn’t going to help. I’m not talking about [more cautious nations having] a veto but my strong preference is that the whole of the UK move as one on this,” he said.
Ahead of the sunny long weekend, police have expressed concerns that Downing Street's mixed messaging would lead to higher numbers of Brits flouting the rules.
One chief constable told the Guardian the level of rule-breaking is already “unpoliceable.”
An officer told the Times there is “trepidation and frustration ahead of the weekend.”
Another said there were similar worries about the Easter bank holiday in April, but the messaging from government was clearer then.
“There’s a feeling that this weekend will be different,” they added.
Meanwhile the NASUWT teaching union became the first to say that schools should not return this academic year.
In a letter to Williamson, Patrick Roach, the general secretary of the NASUWT, said: “In view of the continued and pressing public health challenges and the considerable task that will be required to ensure that every school is ready to admit increased numbers of children and adults into safe learning and working environments, the NASUWT urges the government to end speculation on the reopening of schools beyond the current restrictions prior to September 2020.”
