A meeting of the Government’s Cobra committee will be held at around 4pm with representatives from all four UK nations to discuss plans for Christmas, sources said.
The four nations of the UK are trying to create a unified plan that will see the rules over Christmas the same whether you live in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
That would allow people to cross borders and visit their families simply, if rules are relaxed for a five-day period over the festive season.
The governments are reported to be considering relaxing coronavirus restrictions from December 24 to December 28.
The relaxed rules could allow people from up to four households to meet together inside for Christmas meals and parties.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said that, in England, people placed in Tier Three will be discouraged from travelling outside their own area.
It is believed more than half the country could be placed into tier three after December 2.
The tiers will be announced on Thursday.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has acknowledged the risks involved in a Christmas relaxation, saying it is the “season to be jolly careful”, but is determined to give families the chance to meet up at the end of a grim year.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said there could be a “slight and careful” easing of the rules for a few days while Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething has suggested tough measures to control the virus before Christmas could allow “more headroom for the festive season”.
