Pubs, bars and restaurants may not be able to open until May, under a suggested three-stage plan to ease lockdown.
Officials are now working on proposals for reopening sectors of the economy, The Telegraph reports.
A senior Government source has said that a phased exit from lockdown should be expected, with at least a month between major reopenings.
It could mean that if schools open in March, non-essential retail could open up again in April, and leaves pubs and restaurants last in the queue with a May reopening date.
Yesterday, Boris Johnson confirmed that the roadmap out of lockdown would be published on February 22.
The PM told the Commons that he would set out a plan to 'gradually reopen our economy and our society'.
A lot will depend on infection rates over the coming weeks and months, especially once pupils return to schools.
A Whitehall source said: "If schools do open in March, and the priority is certainly to open schools first then it will mean other things have to remain closed for some time.
"We have to avoid the situation last time where the return of schools meant far greater household mixing across the board.
"So that means we'd be likely to wait at least another month for non-essential retail, and a month beyond that at least for pubs and restaurants."
Earlier this month, the early May bank holiday was suggested as a realistic date for the reopening of the hospitality sector.
