Tier 3 lockdown rules: What you can and can’t do from today

Greater Manchester entered Tier 3 and Wales begins a circuit-breaker: Sheffield, Stoke, Slough and Coventry face tighter restrictions.

Greater Manchester finally entered Tier 3 lockdown from 12.01am on Friday after a bitter battle between metro mayor Andy Burnham and the government over worker support.

Residents in all 10 boroughs must now face the toughest set of restrictions set out in the government’s new three-tier localised system.

It sees further limits on mixing between households, while some businesses have been forced to close.

Boris Johnson announced the change earlier this week in a press conference on Tuesday.

“Given the public health situation, I must now proceed with moving Greater Manchester, as I say, to the ‘very high alert level,” he said.

The imposition came after an ultimatum was given by Downing Street to the region’s leaders.

Following days of failed negotiations over a financial package to support the move from Tier 2, they had to agree to an offer of £60m by noon or the government would place Greater Manchester in Tier 3 regardless.

Only £22m to help ‘implement and enforce restrictions’ was confirmed on the announcement, which caused further confusion.

But at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Mr Johnson promised that £60m “will be distributed to the boroughs of Greater Manchester”, which will be used to help support businesses and workers.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a new grant scheme for businesses impacted by Tier 2 lockdown restrictions.

But it means Greater Manchester businesses affected by local lockdown rules since August can also apply for backdated grants – of up to £2,100 each month.

Rules changing on Friday

Greater Manchester goes into Tier 3 lockdown

Meeting someone not in your household or bubble is banned, either indoors or in private or ticketed outdoor spaces, like gardens, beer gardens and restaurant terraces.

The only place you can gather with someone not in your bubble is in a public open space like a park or woodland. Here you must obey the rule of six.

People should try to avoid travelling in or out of the area or staying overnight outside the area. People who live in Tier 3 should obey Tier 3 rules, even if they’re visiting another Tier.

People from outside the area should obey Tier 3 rules while they’re in Greater Manchester.

All the above are standard Tier 3 rules.

In addition, in Greater Manchester, betting shops, casinos, bingo halls, adult gaming centres, and soft play areas must shut.

Wales begins its circuit-breaker lockdown

From 6pm on Friday 23 October Wales goes into a two-and-a-half-week national lockdown, known as a ‘fire-break’ or ‘circuit-break’.

There are some main rules:

• People must stay at home, except for very limited purposes
• People must not visit other households or meet other people they do not live with
• Bars, restaurants and non-essential shops, plus gyms and leisure centres, must close
• Secondary schools are online-only for the week after half term, other than Years 7 and 8. Primaries remain open.
• Face coverings are mandatory in whichever indoor public spaces remain open, with some exemptions.
• People must work from home unless they are critical workers.

You can see a long list of exemptions and special circumstances here.

Rules changing on Saturday

South Yorkshire goes into Tier 3 lockdown

Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield are now covered by Tier 3 restrictions, aimed at cutting the coronavirus spread.

Around 1.4 million people in South Yorkshire are now under England’s toughest coronavirus restrictions.

From 12.01 am on Saturday, Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield were covered by Tier 3 restrictions, aimed at cutting the spread of the virus.

Dan Jarvis confirmed on Wednesday that Sheffield and South Yorkshire would be entering into the ‘very high’ alert level of restrictions from 12.01 am on Saturday.

Our Council leaders and I have secured £41m funding from Govt to support our people and businesses as we move to Tier 3. We’ve taken action to protect both lives and livelihoods as pressure increases on our #NHS.
The new rules start at 0001 on Sat 24 Oct.https://t.co/U7yv77Yx7I

— Dan Jarvis (@DanJarvisMP) October 21, 2020

South Yorkshire will be plunged into Tier 3 lockdown from 12.01am on Saturday with pubs and bars forced to shut.

It affects the council areas of Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield.

As in all Tier 3 areas, pubs and bars must shut unless they can operate as a restaurant serving “substantial” meals.

Soft play centres, betting shop, casinos and adult gaming centres will also have to close in South Yorkshire on top of usual Tier 3 restrictions.

Gyms and leisure centres will be allowed to stay open in the region, but leisure centre classes will not be allowed to take place.

As with all Tier 3 lockdowns, the rules are reviewed after 28 days.

Stoke-on-Trent, Slough and Coventry enter Tier 2

Slough, Stoke-on-Trent and Coventry will all be put into the second highest tier of Covid restrictions.

The new restrictions – which will mean people cannot visit people from a separate bubble indoors – will come into force on Saturday.

More than 29million people in England will be in Tier 2 or 3 by Saturday.

A further 10.5million people are hit by strict national restrictions in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

UK coronavirus: 20,530 people test positive in 24 hours; Nottingham to enter tier 3 ‘next week.’