The North East will move into Tier 4 on New Year's Eve - with strict rules in place.
Matt Hancock made an announcement on Wednesday December 30, when he confirmed which areas are being moved into different tiers of England's coronavirus rules.
He announced Newcastle, Gateshead, Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland, County Durham, would be put into Tier 4, starting at one minute past midnight.
Tier 4 will see non-essential shops, barbers, hairdressers, indoor gyms and swimming pools shut, people told to "Stay Home" and not mix with other households at all.
But there are some exceptions which do allow people to meet loved ones in Tier 4.
They include:
Support bubbles
These remain in place, even in areas where restrictions have been upgraded.
In a limited number of situations, people are allowed to form a support bubble with members of one other household.
- You can form a support bubble with another household of any size if:
- you live by yourself – even if carers visit you to provide support
- you are the only adult in your household who does not need continuous care as a result of a disability
- your household includes a child who is under the age of one or was under that age on 2 December 2020
- your household includes a child with a disability who requires continuous care and is under the age of 5, or was under that age on 2 December 2020
- you are aged 16 or 17 living with others of the same age and without any adults
- you are a single adult living with one or more children who are under the age of 18 or were under that age on 12 June 2020
- If you share custody of a child with someone you do not live with, the child can move freely between both parents’ households. You do not need to form a support bubble to do this.
Meeting outside for exercise
The 'rule of six' - which is in place in Tiers 1, 2 and 3 - has been scrapped in Tier 4.
Instead people are allowed to meet one person they do not live outdoors and in a public space.
This means it is legal to meet a loved one for a walk or do some other form of exercise.
But going indoors together, or into a private garden, is not allowed.
