New rules being considered by Government could allow people to reconnect with close family or friends.
Since lockdown was introduced at the end of March, people have been only been allowed in close contact with those who live in their home.
But now, Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) is considering whether is would be safe to an expanded definition of "household", allowing people to meet with a small group of others they don't live with.
The move could allow grandparents to see their grandchildren or end total isolation for those living alone - but it would be strictly limited.
In its new strategy published on Monday, it is made clear that people should not meet up with more than one person outside their immediate household, and that encounter should remain socially distanced.
But the Government said it is "considering a range of options to reduce the most harmful social effects" of restrictive lockdown measures in a section titled Social and Family Contact.
One proposed idea being considered by could change the rules to allow two households to effectively merge - while still living separately.
This suggests a family with children would be able to incorporate a set of grandparents into their household group, for example. This would mean the merged households would be allowed to visit each other.
But, there would be firm restrictions.
In a footnote, the document states multiple household groups are not allowed, saying: "If Household A merges with B, Household B cannot also elect to be in a group with Household C.
"This would create a chain that would allow the virus to spread widely."
The document says this method could allow the isolated more social contact and reduce the loneliness and social harms of the current restrictions while limiting virus spread.
This could also allow two households to share childcare duties, freeing up more people to return to work, it adds, although the potential effects of this on transmission rates are to be examined.
The proposed idea is based on a New Zealand government model of household "bubbles".
The NZ government guidance says a "bubble" is a group of people you can have contact with, and aside from an immediate household, it can be extended to include close family, caregivers, or to support isolated people.
The guidance advises to keep the bubble as local as possible, to keep it small, and to consider the risks to any vulnerable people within the bubble group.
In addition, the Government says it is also examining ways of allowing small weddings to go ahead with people gathering in slightly larger groups.
The document says: "Over the coming weeks, the Government will engage on the nature and timing of the measures in this step, in order to consider the widest possible array of views on how best to balance the health, economic and social effects."
