Coronavirus rules: What can do you under new restrictions in each UK country?

With the introduction of a new three-tier lockdown system across England, the country has been carved up with restrictions placed on each area depending on levels of coronavirus transmission. The new measures come into force from Wednesday.

The three tiers comprise of the most serious “Very High” risk category, followed by the “High” alert level that reflects interventions in many areas subject to local restrictions and bans the mixing of different households indoors.

The “Medium” alert level covers most of England and consists of the current baseline measures, including the rule of six and the 10pm curfew on businesses.

No matter where you are in the UK, these basic rules will apply – however they will likely go much further depending on where you are.

The ‘rule of six’

While this restriction varies significantly from place to place, UK residents are currently forbidden from meeting in groups of six people in nearly all settings – with the least strict variation coming in parts of England, where more than two households may gather.

Face masks

Currently face masks must be worn across the British Isles while on public transport, in shops and many other indoor settings, which vary slightly between nation. 

Curfews

In a bid to stem rising infections but keep hospitality venues open, strict 10pm curfews have been imposed on pubs, bars and restaurants in Scotland, England and Wales. Those in Northern Ireland can stay open until 11pm. 

The new tier system continues to mean restrictions are different in parts of the UK, with Liverpool and Merseyside being placed in the “Very High” risk category. London will enter the “High” tier at midnight on Friday. 

Current restrictions apply to those in the “Medium” tier, so in these areas people can still meet in groups of no more than six people from multiple households either indoors or outdoors. Unlike Scotland and Wales, the six includes children. 

Pubs, bars and restaurants must close at 10pm and face coverings must be worn while shopping, on public transport and in other indoor areas. 

Under the second “High” alert level, people cannot meet with anyone they do not live with indoors unless they are part of a support bubble. The rule of six applies for socialising outside, and pubs, bars and restaurants have a 10pm curfew. 

The highest level of restrictions mean people cannot socialise with anyone outside their household in any indoor and many outdoor settings. Pubs and bars will be forced to close unless they are operating as a restaurant. 

Weddings and funerals will be allowed to take place with restrictions on the number of guests. 

For more detailed advice pertaining to each region, check the government’s website. 

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said England’s tiered alert system would “give an idea” of a similar scheme to be proposed in Scotland.

New measures were introduced by the Scottish government last Friday, orderings pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes outside central Scotland to conduct only indoor business between 6am and 6pm and not serve alcohol, although alcoholic drinks can be served until 10pm in outdoor areas.

But pubs and licensed restaurants in five health board areas – Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Arran, Lothian and Forth Valley – were forced to close for all but takeaway service until 26 October.

Snooker and pool halls, indoor bowling, casinos and bingo halls had to close and outdoor live events were banned in these five areas.

In addition, shops were asked to return to two metres of physical distancing and to reintroduce measures from earlier in the pandemic such as one-way systems.

People cannot meet friends and family from another household unless they are part of an “extended household”, available to people who live alone or only with children under 18.

People can meet outdoors in groups of up to six, not including children under 12, from no more than two households. A maximum of six people from two households can meet in public indoor spaces such as cafes, pubs and restaurants.

Mark Drakeford, Wales’ first minster, has said he will ban people travelling from coronavirus hotspot areas from entering Wales if the prime minister does not impose travel restrictions in England.

It is expected the ban on entry would include all of Northern Ireland, England's tier two and three areas and the Scottish central belt. 

The rules, which Mr Drakeford has said are "essentially designed to prevent people going to those holiday parts of Wales… where the virus is still in very low circulation", are planned to come into force at 6pm on Friday, unless the prime minister intervenes and issues travel restrictions in England.

Seventeen areas of Wales, including Cardiff, Swansea and parts of North Wales, are currently under tighter restrictions.

These prohibit people from entering or leaving an area without a reasonable excuse, which includes work or education.

Under more general lockdown rules in Wales, licensed premises have to stop selling alcohol at 10pm, face coverings are mandatory in indoor public spaces and public transport, and people cannot gather in groups of more than 30 outdoors.

People are also not allowed to meet indoors with people from other households, unless they have formed an extended household.

The country’s health minister Vaughan Gething has also said Wales could be placed under a new national lockdown in order to halt a sharp rise in coronavirus cases.

Northern Ireland announced it would impose a four-week "circuit-breaker" partial lockdown on Wednesday, with measures including shuttered pubs and extended school breaks coming into force from Friday.

Pubs and restaurants will be closed, while takeaways will be allowed until 11pm. Though shops will remain open, supermarkets and off-licenses will only be permitted to sell alcohol until 8pm.

The school half-term break will be extended to two weeks, with students set to return to classes on 2 November.

The new rules will also see indoor sports, contact sports banned and close-contact services, like hairdressers and beauticians banned, while public events will be capped at 15 attendees. Gyms will remain open for individual training only.

Places of worship will have a mandatory face-covering requirement, and weddings and funerals will be limited to 25 attendees. Wedding receptions will be banned, as will pre- and post-funeral gatherings. Rules on weddings and funerals come into force on Monday 19 October.

Current rules bar different households from mixing in Northern Ireland, with exceptions for those "bubbling" with another household, and up to six people from up to two households can meet outdoors in a private garden. These rules continue to apply, while overnight stays in private properties have also been prohibited unless as part of a “bubble”. 

Bubbles will be limited to a maximum of 10 people from two households.

People are also advised to work from home unless unable to do so, while higher education facilities are asked to employ remote teaching to the maximum extent possible. It is advised that no unnecessary travel should be undertaken.