It is understood ministers may announce by the end of the week plans to allow greater social contact between friends and family.
The Government’s road map for easing measures included the possibility of allowing households to create a social “bubble” with one other household.
Asked whether garden parties and barbecues would be allowed at the end of June, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “All I can do is refer you to the road map.
“We will set out any further steps that we are able to take in relation to social contact or the use of outdoor spaces in due course and we will only move forward with proposals if it’s safe to do so and we are satisfied that we won’t be doing anything that could risk a second spike in infections that might overwhelm the NHS.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson was expected to announce the measures on Monday when he laid out the next stages of lockdown lifting.
Instead the statement focussed on reopening of shops - which will come on June 1 and June 15.
Mr Johnson is reported to have been discussing the new 'bubble' measures that would allow people to get together in their homes with small numbers of friends and family.
The idea has been floating around for a number of weeks with communities secretary Robert Jenrick saying it would be announced soon.
The move is likely to allow for very limited numbers of people, maybe as few as 10, to meet on a regular basis for outdoor events.
The bubble could also allow for events such as small family weddings to be held.
