Boris Johnson has announced that the Rule of Six will be scrapped when England goes back into lockdown.
The Prime Minister announced this evening that from Thursday new nationwide restrictions will be introduced to curb a huge rise in infections.
As long as the move is approved by Parliament, it will remain in place until December 2.
Indoor meetings between households will be banned except for childcare and essential support purposes.
And outdoors, people can only meet one person from one other household or bubble, and only if they’re on their own when they do so.
The regulation replaces the "Rule of Six", which stipulated that groups of no more than six were allowed to meet socially outdoors.
The new restrictions will see millions of businesses, including non-essential shops, pubs, restaurants, gyms and hairdressers, forced to shut for four weeks.
Under the new lockdown rules, which need to be approved by Parliament, the only reasons people are allowed to leave home are:
- Education
- Work, if you cannot work from home
- Exercise and recreation outdoors, either with own household or bubble, or on your own with one person from another household or bubble
- For medical reasons, appointments, or to escape injury or harm, including domestic abuse
- To shop for food and essentials
- To provide care for vulnerable people or as a volunteer
Takeaways and food delivery services will still be permitted to operate, while places of worship will be allowed to stay open for private prayer, with no services permitted.
Overnight stays will only be allowed for work purposes, the new rules state.
MPs are believed to be set to vote on the measure on Wednesday, with a full list of regulations due to be published the day before.
Mr Johnson said shielding will not resume during the new lockdown, but the "clinically extremely vulnerable" - the more than two million people who shielded last time - will be asked to minimise contact with others.
They will not go to work if they’re unable to work from home, he said.
