The UK government will vote to extend lockdown legislation on Thursday.
The Coronavirus Act, which gave authorities the power to impose temporary Covid restrictions, will expire in March. This means for lockdown to legally continue, MPs need to vote to renew the legislation.
While the government's roadmap aims for normality by June 21, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is thought to be seeking to extend the Coronavirus Act for another six months - until October.
Some are concerned that this means lockdown will stretch past the target June 21 date, into the Autumn.
Will lockdown be extended until October?
Even if the government votes to extend coronavirus legislation until October, this will not necessarily mean lockdown will continue that long.
It just gives the government the power to impose restrictions if they feel it's necessary.
Health minister Helen Whately said plans to lift lockdown by June are still on track - and that the extension will allow the government to continue with measures such as the furlough scheme beyond the end of lockdown.
A government spokesperson said: "Keeping the act in place will continue to provide important support to individuals, businesses and allow essential public services to function.
"When this legislation was brought to Parliament, the government was clear that it would only retain these powers for as long as necessary to allow us to respond to the pandemic effectively."
The legislation will be reviewed on Thursday before MPs vote, and it's thought 15 restrictions will be removed..
These measures are no longer believed to be essential to the national response to the pandemic, and will be allowed to expire.
Matt Hancock said: "We are rightly ending as many national measures as safely as possible, while maintaining those which remain necessary and proportionate to help reduce and control infections further as we cautiously but irreversibly ease restrictions and our historic vaccination programme continues apace."
