Lockdown exit Q&A: when can we do what and when?

Boris Johnson has set out a roadmap for what he hopes will be a “cautious, but also irreversible” lifting of lockdown in England. He has stressed that the government’s decisions will be led by “data, not dates”, and that the roadmap prioritises “ways for people to reunite with loved ones safely”.

But the expansive set of provisional dates and rules has left many of us with questions about what is possible, and when. Reaction studied and distilled the 51-page document detailing the exit from lockdown so you don’t have to.

1)    When can I meet friends and family outside?

Under current restrictions in England, two people from different households can meet outside for a coffee or a picnic outside in socially distanced one-on-one meetups.

From 29 March, outdoor gatherings will be allowed either under the rule of six or between two households. This means groups of up to six people from multiple households can get together outside, including in private gardens, with a greater number allowed if only two households are meeting up.

From 17 May, the government hopes to lift most rules for outdoor socialising, including the rule of six or two household limit. It will remain illegal to gather with more than 30 people in a park or garden.

2)    When can I go to pubs and restaurants?

From 12 April, pubs and restaurants can reopen for outdoor service only, meaning people will be able to meet friends or family in beer gardens as long as they abide by the rule of six or are made up of no more than two households. The requirement for a substantial meal and curfews will both be scrapped, but customers will need to be seated when ordering food or drink.

Pubs, restaurants and other hospitality venues could be able to seat customers indoors from 17 May, but the rule of six will still apply.

3)    When can I meet friends and family indoors?

At the moment, socialising indoors is not permitted unless under special circumstances including voluntary or charitable services, informal child care assistance and providing emergency assistance.

These restrictions could be lifted from 17 May at the earliest, according to the PM’s roadmap, allowing two households or groups of up to six people to mix indoors.

4)    When can I stay overnight at someone else’s house?

It could be legal to stay overnight away from home from 12 April, but only in self-contained accommodation in England with members of the same household.

The earliest date that people will be allowed to stay over with friends or family is 17 May, when indoor mixing could be permitted for up to six people or two households.

5)    When can I travel to other parts of England?

Travel is currently banned within England for all but “essential” reasons, with residents told to “stay at home” to save lives.

Under current plans, the “stay at home” message will come to an end on 29 March, when it will be replaced by a new instruction to “stay local”. The gov.uk website says people “should continue to work from home where they can and minimise the number of journeys they make where possible, avoiding travel at the busiest times and routes”.

From 12 April, some staycations will be allowed, but in a limited form. One household will be allowed to stay overnight somewhere in England, but not with members of another household.

6)    When can I travel abroad?

International travel from the UK is currently banned for all but “essential” reasons. All outbound travellers must complete a Declaration of Travel form, stating their reason for the trip, or face a £200 fine.

The government has said that it will make an announcement on when international travel should resume no earlier than 17 May. Some countries, including Cyprus and Greece, have signalled that they are willing to accept British travellers with proof of a Covid vaccination or a negative PCR test this summer.

7)    When will social distancing end?

The roadmap says that advice on social distancing between friends and family – including hugging – will be updated “as soon as possible” and no later than 17 May. It says: “Until this point, people should continue to keep their distance from anyone not in their household or support bubble”.

Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, has said that people will be able to hug each other from the middle of May at the earliest, stating that people must remain “cautious” until this point. He told BBC Breakfast: “We know that close contact is how this disease is passed on. And so the reason for that timing is, by then, all of the most vulnerable groups will have been able to have two jabs.”

8)    How does the UK roadmap differ from those of the devolved nations?

Each of the devolved nations is following slightly different rules tailored to suit its own circumstances and differing levels of infection.

Earlier this week, Nicola Sturgeon announced that she would be easing lockdown restrictions on meeting up outdoors before England. People in Scotland are now allowed to mix in private gardens as well as public spaces but should stay local and only go inside to use the toilet. The rules have been relaxed even more for teenagers, with up to four youngsters aged between 12 and 17 each from separate households allowed to meet up. Non-essential retail, hospitality and services like gyms and hairdressers are not expected to reopen until the last week of April.

In Wales, “stay at home” restrictions will be replaced with instructions to “stay local” from 13 March, and four people from two different households will be allowed to meet up outdoors. Setting out his roadmap this week, First Minister Mark Drakeford said that hairdressers would be able to open from 15 March and that all shops and the “stay local” restrictions could be lifted from 12 April.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland’s roadmap out of lockdown does not use specific dates to map progress in the same way England’s plan does. Instead it sets out various health factors that will determine how and when the economy reopens. Hospital admissions, the R number, potential new variants, vaccine rollout and the number of cases will all be used to track the progress of the virus, as will the mental wellbeing of people in the community, young people’s education and the impact on businesses and employers. Due to the plan’s lack of dates, it is hard to map out exactly what will reopen and when at this stage.

9)    When can I visit Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales from the rest of the UK?

At the moment, non-essential travel is banned across the UK.

There are currently no set dates for the easing of travel restrictions between the devolved nations. Any change in these restrictions will be dependent on when individual leaders in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales permit travel into their areas.

Some commentators have suggested that people may not be allowed to travel to Scotland for leisure until restrictions have been lowered to at least “level two”. This means holidays in Scotland are unlikely to be allowed until May at the earliest.

10) When will legal restrictions end in England?

If all goes to plan, the government hopes to be in a position to remove all legal limits on social contact no earlier than 21 June.

The PM said: “With appropriate mitigations, we will aim to remove all legal limits on social contact and on weddings and other life events. We will reopen everything up to and including nightclubs and enable large events such as theatre performances above the limits of step three, potentially using testing to reduce the risk of infection”.