For people in shared households, and students, you may be wondering how the new Christmas bubble rules apply to you.
If you are a student who has moved home for the university holidays , the government guidance says you are considered to be part of the household to which you have returned - usually your family.
You are not treated as part of your term-time household for this period from December 23 to 27, when coronavirus restrictions are relaxed temporarily across the UK.
Therefore, students heading home for the holidays will be considered part of the household they return to.
The Christmas bubble cannot be changed, but people are allowed to travel between tiers and UK nations to allow meeting with their families or friends within it.
And people are allowed to meet people who are not in their Christmas bubble outside of their home according to the rules in the area in which they are staying.
But there can only be one Christmas bubble formed by families or friends - multiple bubbles are banned.
And for people living in shared households who form a different Christmas bubble to the people they live with normally, they are being advised to take additional steps "to prevent the opportunity for the virus to spread within your household, and between bubbles.
This might include:
- staying with another member of your Christmas bubble between 23 and 27 December where possible
- taking extra precautions such as cleaning surfaces and contact points like door handles and letting in as much fresh air as possible after someone has visited your household
Cabinet Office guidance says people living in shared households can choose to form a different Christmas bubble from the people you live with normally.
However, the Scottish government has said that “different people in a household should not pick their own bubble”.
