The government is set to announce an extension of support for businesses affected by England's third national lockdown.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is preparing new support measures for businesses struggling under renewed guidelines, Michael Gove said on Tuesday.
The support, set to be confirmed by midday, is likely to include a further extension of the furlough scheme which is due to end in April.
It's also expected to cover additional support for the hospitality sector and those in receipt of the self-employed support grant.
The measures come on the morning of England's third national lockdown which Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned will last until at least mid-February.
In a televised broadcast on Monday, he announced fresh closures and instructed people to stay at home to control the virus, protect the NHS and save lives.
The decision follows a rapid rise in infections, hospital admissions and case rates across the country, with new daily cases soaring above the 50,000 mark.
On 4 January, there were 26,626 Covid-19 patients in hospital in England, an increase of over 30% in one week.
The April 2020 hospital admissions peak has now been surpassed by 40%.
On January 3, 454 deaths were reported, with 4,228 over the last 7 days – a 24% increase on the previous 7 days.
From Tuesday, January 5, people will only be allowed to leave their homes for the following reasons:
- To shop for basic necessities, for you or a vulnerable person
- To go to work, or provide voluntary or charitable services, if you cannot reasonably do so from home
- To exercise with your household (or support bubble) or one other person, this should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.
- To meet your support bubble or childcare bubble where necessary, but only if you are legally permitted to form one.
- To seek medical assistance or avoid injury, illness or risk of harm (including domestic abuse)
To attend education or childcare - for those eligible
All primary schools, secondary schools and colleges will move to remote learning, except for the children of key workers and vulnerable children.
However, early years settings such as nurseries will remain open and vulnerable children and children of critical workers can continue to use registered childcare, childminders and other childcare activities.
The government is also advising the clinically extremely vulnerable to begin shielding again, and letters will be sent to individuals with advice on what this means for them.
All non-essential retail, hospitality and personal care services must close, or remain closed. Restaurants can continue delivery, takeaway or click-and-collect of food and non-alcoholic drinks, but venues will no longer be able to serve takeaway or click-and-collect alcohol.
Essential shops and garden centres can remain open. Entertainment venues and animal attractions such as zoos must close, but the outdoor areas of venues such as heritage homes and botanical gardens can remain open for exercise. Playgrounds will also remain open.
Visitors can continue to attend places of worship, although you may only visit with your household.
However indoor and outdoor sports facilities including sports courts, gyms, golf courses, swimming pools, and riding arenas must close. Elite sport and disabled sport can continue, as can PE lessons for those children attending school.
Boris Johnson warned the coming weeks would be the "hardest yet" amid surging cases and patient numbers.
He said those in the top four priority groups would be offered a first vaccine dose by the middle of next month.
All care home residents and their carers, everyone aged 70 and over, all frontline health and social care workers, and the clinically extremely vulnerable will be offered one dose of a vaccine by mid-February.
Scotland issued a stay-at-home order earlier on Tuesday, and Wales said schools and colleges would shut until January 18 for most pupils.
Announcing the closures, Johnson said he believed the country was entering "the last phase of the struggle".
