The coronavirus tier system could reportedly be scrapped, with lockdown restrictions eased on a national basis instead.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is said to be looking at the effectiveness of the tier system again and is considering easing lockdown measures nationally.
But there are fears that returning to national restrictions would lead to a slower lockdown release because areas with lower cases would have to wait for those with higher levels to come down before things were eased up - reports Mail Online.
However some ministers reportedly think it would be a more sustainable approach with people from covid hotspots unable to spread the virus to other areas.
Boris Johnson said this week that he would be laying out a roadmap out of lockdown in the week beginning February 22.
Mr Johnson confirmed that lockdown measures would stay in place for several weeks until March 8 at the earliest when he hoped that schools would be able to reopen.
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But other places such as shops and pubs and restaurants might not be able to open until May.
The Telegraph reports that officials are working on plans to keep shops closed until April and pubs shut until May.
But with the reopening dependent on data including case rates, hospital deaths and the vaccine roll-out programme it could be weeks later before all pupils are back at school.
A Whitehall source told the Telegraph: "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."
