Covid UK news – live: Boris Johnson warns of new year lockdown if we ease off now, as new tiers revealed

The government website designed to show users what tier they will soon be in has crashed for many.

Social media users are sharing issues with the site as many go to check the latest lockdown information. The alert ‘sorry, we’re experiencing technical difficulties’ is currently appearing on the site.

Rich Booth reports:

Health secretary Matt Hancock said the lockdown in England has “successfully turned the curve and begun to ease pressure on the NHS”.

He told the Commons: “Cases are down by 19 per cent from a week ago and daily hospital admissions have fallen 7 per cent in the last week.

“January and February are always difficult months for the NHS so it is vital we safeguard the gains we made.”

In a written statement, which contained the tier breakdown, Matt Hancock told MPs: “Thanks to the shared sacrifice of everyone in recent weeks, in following the national restrictions, we have been able to start to bring the virus back under control and slow its growth, easing some of the pressure on the NHS.

“We will do this by returning to a regional tiered approach, saving the toughest measures for the parts of the country where prevalence remains too high.

“The tiering approach provides a framework that, if used firmly, should prevent the need to introduce stricter national measures.

“On 2 December we will lift the national restrictions across all of England and the following restrictions will be eased:

“1. The stay-at-home requirement will end.

“2. Non-essential retail, gyms, personal care will reopen. The wider leisure and entertainment sectors will also reopen, although to varying degrees.

“3. Communal worship, weddings and outdoor sports can resume.

“4. People will no longer be limited to seeing one other person in outdoor public spaces, where the rule of 6 will now apply.”

“The new regulations set out the restrictions applicable in each tier,” Mr Hancock said, before adding: “We have taken into account advice from Sage on the impact of the previous tiers to strengthen the measures in the tiers, and help enable areas to move more swiftly into lower tiers.”

“Hope is on the horizon, but we still have a way to go. We must dig deep and we must remain vigilant,” Matt Hancock said, ending his statement to the Commons.

Pubs in London will be allowed to open next week if they serve food, after the capital was placed in tier 2 of the new restrictions in a move that will delight MPs and businesses in the capital

 A political row is expected, though, as big cities in the North face the harshest tier 3 curbs.

Success in curbing Covid-19 infections in Liverpool means it will drop into tier 2, but Manchester faces the toughest restrictions after lockdown ends on 2 December – shutting pubs and restaurants except for takeaways.

Rob Merrick, our deputy political editor, has more:

The government has issued its latest round of coronavirus tiers, restricting daily life for citizens across England with only three areas finding themselves under the most lenient rules.

And while the majority of the country find themselves facing tier two restrictions, some including Greater Manchester have been placed under the ‘Very High alert’ tier three rating.

The Independent’s Vincent Wood has the full list of tiers by area:

Commons leader Sir Lindsay Hoyle has said it is “not acceptable” that news of the government's postcode checker to find out what tier local areas are in was revealed in the media before parliament.

Labour’s shadow Commons leader Valerie Vaz said in the House of Commons: “At 11.14am it was announced that you could find out which tier you were in via a journalist rather a statement to the House,” before adding adding: “I think this is an absolutely appalling way to treat parliament.”

Sir Lindsay replied: “This House should be informed first we keep telling the government that is the way that good government should treat and respect this chamber. It is not acceptable to put it online.”

“The only good thing about the Government is it's crashed so it's not helpful, so might be that we do get the statement first.”

He added: “This House should hear it first.”

Leader of Hull City Council Stephen Brady said the city's infection rate had dropped from a peak of 785 cases per 100,000 on November 16, when it was the highest in England, to 530 on Thursday.

But Mr Brady said: "Tier 3 is not where anyone wants to be but, with our infection rates still very high, it is what we expected and it's the right place for Hull to be at this time".

Meanwhile, Andy Street, Tory mayor of the West Midlands, said of his region being placed inTier 3:

Leaders in seven authorities in the North East of England have urged people to carry on abiding by the rules so the Tier 3 restrictions could be eased sooner.

In a lenghty statement, the leaders in Northumberland, Newcastle, North and South Tyneside, Gateshead, Sunderland and County Durham said the four weeks of national lockdown had not "counted for nothing".

They said: "Infection rates have dropped rapidly in recent days as the impact of lockdown takes effect and we are extremely grateful to all residents for making this happen.

"Your efforts have sustained capacity in critical care units, ensured treatments for many serious illnesses can continue, and critically, those who have become gravely ill with Covid-19 have been able to receive the best possible care.

"You have saved lives and protected the most vulnerable in our communities.

"However, infection rates do remain high and ahead of many other parts of the country.

"That means as we head into the depths of winter, a time in which the NHS is typically under the greatest strain, we must continue to do what we can to protect each other and make sure our hospitals can cope with the demands upon them."

They added: "We must continue to work together and by doing so we will put ourselves in a position to move to a tier which offers more of the freedoms we so dearly miss.

"Let's keep going so we can once again meet up and socialise with our families and friends, help more of our local businesses reopen their doors to customers or so that we can cheer on our beloved sports teams."