I wanted to update everyone as to the new rules and hopefully give a few helpful pointers (beyond what I anticipate you already know):
1. You can meet one person from a different household provided that you do so outdoors and follow social distancing rules.
2. You can exercise outdoors as much as you like, and this includes:
a) Driving to exercise
b) Day trips to beauty spots and picnics (although please note that only people from the same household can travel in one car)
c) Sports that can be played outside - including tennis, basketball, golf, fishing. But again with your household or one person from outside the household at a 2 metre distance.
d) You can swim in open water such as lakes and the sea. But not in public pools yet.
3. From Wednesday, you can go to a garden centre.
4. There is no change to the rules on weddings BUT the Government is working towards enabling small wedding ceremonies from 1st June.
5. The advice to the over 70s is that they "should take particular care to minimise contact with others outside their households" however there are no specific additional rules that apply to them unless they also have an underlying health condition and have been advised to shield.
6. Face coverings are not compulsory but are advised if you are in an enclosed public space - such as public transport or the supermarket.
7. If your job cannot be done from home, then you can return to work. However employers have a statutory duty to create a safe place of work and a safe system of working for you. If you have doubts about this you should discuss it with them (and seek to reach an agreement), or can contact the Health & Safety Executive or the local authority if you continue to have concerns. There are protections for workers that exist in employment law however it is not as simple as saying you can always refuse to work - and it's worth seeking advice from ACAS if you are having this kind of dispute.
8. If the figures continue to move in the right direction, school openings will begin in June in the following order:
a) Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 from 1 June.
b) Other primary school years later in June. The Prime Minister said this afternoon that he wants all primary school children to receive at least one month's education in school during this summer term if at all possible.
c) If your child is in Year 10 or 12, then they will try to arrange for them to have "some face to face contact" in support of their studies towards key exams next year.
d) Other secondary school year groups will return in September.
More guidance will be coming on making schools safe.
9. From 1 June, there will be a requirement to self isolate for 14 days on arrival in the UK. However the impression I have is that this will apply to most - but not necessarily all - countries. Further guidance is coming.
10. Pubs, cinemas and hairdressers will remain closed until July 4 at the earliest. Sorry!
The link is here for more detail: