People could be fined at least £30 if they do not comply with the terms of the coronavirus lockdown.
Matt Hancock told MPs on Tuesday that “home is now the front line” and that working together, coronavirus can be defeated.
As part of his statement, the Health Secretary said that police fines could start at £30 and reach unlimited amounts if people do not comply with the new rules.
He said: “These measures are not advice, they are rules and will be enforced, including by the police with fines starting at £30 up to unlimited fines for non-compliance.”
The statement came after concerns on Tuesday that the lockdown rules were not being taken seriously by employers and some members of the public.
Mr Hancock said that “employers should be taking every possible step to make sure that remote working can happen”.
He added: “I want to be absolutely clear, when people absolutely cannot work from home they can still go to work, indeed it’s important that they do to keep the country running.”
“We are engaged in a great national effort to beat the virus. Everybody now has it in their power to save lives and protect the NHS.
“Home is now the front line, and in this national effort, working together, we can defeat this disease. Everyone has a part to play.”
Mr Hancock, responding to questions from Labour, said sports shops are “not essential retail” before telling MPs: “Therefore they will be closed. I’ve seen a little bit of the noise that’s been going around today around Sports Direct in particular.
“I’d just be absolutely clear that sports kit is not essential over the next three weeks and so we will be closing Sports Direct along with other non-essential retail.”
On the issue of fines for companies as well as individuals for flouting the new rules, Mr Hancock said: “Absolutely those fines are available if that is necessary.”
On protective equipment, he added: “We are moving heaven and earth and the military involvement is ramping up the delivery of that equipment.”
Earlier, Downing Street said the use of fines would be targeted at dispersing gatherings.
“You would expect the police’s focus to be dispersal of groups,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said.
Failure to pay a penalty notice could be subject to criminal proceedings and a summary conviction, the spokesman added.
