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Everything you need to know about the new lockdown rule changes starting from tomorrow
Big changes to lockdown…
There will be some big rule changes coming into effect, starting from this weekend, including shops and outdoor attractions reopening and social bubbles.
While most lockdown measures are being eased a little further from Monday June 15th, after well over two months of tight restrictions, there are also a few changes happening tomorrow as well.
There could be some big impacts on your everyday life, including a new rule which makes it compulsory to wear a face mask on public transport.
We’ve collated all the big changes to lockdown rules below.
Meeting People
In England, from tomorrow, Saturday June 13th, if you live on your own (or live with one child), you can form a support bubble with one other household that contains any number of people.
You can also continue to meet outside in groups of six people from different households so long as social distancing is in place.
Wearing a Face Mask
Anyone using public transport must wear face coverings from Monday 15th June. The government is urging people to make their own face coverings, which can also be created from scarves and bandannas for instance. See here for more information on the face covering rule and how to make one.
Wash face coverings after use and wear them in any other situation where social distancing cannot be maintained.
Exercise
The overarching advice is to stay at home as much as possible, however, non-contact sport is allowed outdoors.
You can now exercise outside with up to five others from different households, for instance playing football in a park, as long as you stay 2m apart and practise good hand hygiene.
Athletics, golf, horse riding and tennis are also now permitted.
Visiting Beauty Spots
Households can continue to drive any distance in England to parks and beaches. Those in England cannot travel to Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Non-Essential Shops
All shops that are deemed non-essential have officially been given the go-ahead to open from Monday 15th June. This means retail shops, car showrooms and market halls for example. See the full list of shops reopening in the Arndale here.
Going Back to Work
The rules state if you can work at home you should still continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
If your job requires you to enter other people’s homes, you are allowed to return to work. This includes, for instance, cleaners or plumbers. Strict hygiene rules should be followed, particularly if the person is vulnerable. No work should take place in any home where someone is shielding.
If you have to travel to your workspace you are encouraged to walk, cycle or drive to prevent overcrowding on public transport, which you will also have to wear a mask on.
Schools Reopening
Some primary schools in England have reopened for children, and secondary schools and colleges in England can now provide face-to-face support to Year 10 and Year 12 pupils, as well as 16-19-year-olds who are set to take their exams next year.
The exact rules vary between local councils.
Place of Worship
Places of worship can open from June 15th for private prayer. Worship groups, weddings and other services are not yet permitted. Communal prayer is also not yet permitted.
Outdoor Attractions
Outdoor Attractions including zoos, safaris and outdoor drive-in cinemas have been given the green light to open from Monday 15th as long as they can successfully put social distancings measures in place.
Commuters could be facing the steepest rise in the cost of train travel in more than a decade just months after prices were already increased.
It has been predicted today that train prices across England and Wales could rise by nearly 5% before the New Year.
The 2021 rise in prices was delayed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic when train travel was at an all-time low, however, tickets still saw a price rise of 2.6% in March.
Abhijit Tembhekar / Flickr
And this morning, the Retail Prices Index for July 2021 was confirmed as 3.8% by the Office for National Statistics, meaning passengers could see fares rise by 4.8% in 2022, which would be the largest hike since 2012.
This means that the cost of rail travel could increase twice within ten months, and would see a Manchester-Glasgow off-peak return rise by £6.30 to £94.90, according to Metro.
Though all hope isn’t yet gone – changes to the fares in 2022 are still yet to be confirmed.
Jon David Houghton / Wikimedia Commons
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “No decision has been made on national rail fares.
“The government is considering a variety of options and we will announce our decision in due course.”
This news has come as train travel in Manchester and beyond is on the rise – earlier this month, we reported that zero cases of Covid were found in Manchester Piccadilly Train Station, despite thousands of commuters using the station’s services as offices reopen.
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