Hairdressers and barbers could finally be allowed to reopen in July according to the government "roadmap" - but the real date may be much later.
Newly-released guidance says the government wants to reopen some "non-essential" shops from June 1 at the earliest, though not those that require close contact with customers.
Then "at least some" of the other businesses that were shut in March would begin to open from July 4 at the earliest.
The roadmap says these include hairdressers, beauty salons, pubs, hotels, places of worship and cinemas.
But the document clearly warns that the reopening could be pushed back if fears over the spread of coronavirus reemerge.
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Hair salons will need to adhere to strict two-metre social distancing rules and it is likely that some will have to rule out walk-in appointments as in Europe.
The details come in "Our Plan to Rebuild: The UK Government's Covid 19 recovery strategy" which sets out the three-phase approach starting this week.
The document says: "Some venues which are, by design, crowded and where it may prove difficult to enact distancing may still not be able to re-open safely at this point."
The document also says it is likely that reopening beauty salons, nightclubs, sports stadiums, gyms and cinemas, for example, "may only be fully possible significantly later depending on the reduction in numbers of infections."
And government sources warned pubs in particular will be difficult to reopen safely because people cram in together.
Writing the forward, Mr Johnson says: "It is not a quick return to 'normality.'
"Nor does it lay out an easy answer. And, inevitably, parts of this plan will adapt as we learn more about the virus.
"But it is a plan that should give the people of the United Kingdom hope.
"It is clear that the only feasible long-term solution lies with a vaccine or drug-based treatment."
Mr Johnson is outlining the plan in detail to MPs this afternoon.
But changes to the global economy mean we will "not return to normal" after the Covid-19 peak has passed.
Other European countries have announced their rules on reopening salons with many nations demanding appointments be booked in advance.
In Denmark, the country's largest online booking system crashed as thousands of customers attempted to book a slot.
In Spain, hairdressers were allowed to partially reopen, with barbers operating on certain days and women's salons on others.
Germany's salons can re-open but new regulations include no waiting area, magazines or dry cuts, while face masks to be worn by customers and staff.
The new rules - which also include social distancing of 1.5m and gloves to be worn until hair is washed - have been issued by German ministries for economy and for social affairs and backed by the regulatory body BGW.
