On Monday 22 February Boris Johnson addressed the commons to announce the planned roadmap to easing lockdown restrictions. The Prime Minister stressed that each stage of a new 4-stage plan will be driven by “data not dates”. The PM says there will be “at least” five weeks between each of the four steps.
Before proceeding to each next step, the government will examine the data to assess the impact of previous changes. The four conditions that must be met at each phase of lockdown easing are:
- The coronavirus vaccine programme continues to go to plan
- Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently reducing the number of people dying or needing hospital treatment as a result of the virus
- Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospital admissions (reduced pressure on the NHS)
- New variants of the virus do not fundamentally change the risk of lifting restrictions
From 8 March – step 1
- All schools and further education settings will open and breakfast and after-school clubs will reopen with outdoor sports and activities allowed. Families and childcare bubbles will be encouraged to get tested regularly.
- Recreation in a public space (such as a park) will be allowed between two people, meaning they would be allowed to sit down for a coffee, drink or picnic
- Each care home resident in England will be allowed to have one regular visitor, with whom they can hold hands
From 29 March – step 1
- Outdoor gatherings of either 6 people or 2 households will be allowed, including gatherings in private gardens.
- Outdoor sports facilities such as tennis or basketball courts will reopen and organised adult and children’s sport, such as grassroots football will return.
- People will no longer be legally required to stay at home but should work from home where possible and try not to travel.
From 12 April – step 2
- Non-essential retail, hairdressers and nail salons will reopen.
- Gyms will reopen, along with holiday lets but only for individuals or household groups.
- Pubs and restaurants will be allowed to serve people outdoors. There will be no curfew and no requirement for alcohol to be accompanied by a ‘substantial meal’.
From 17 May – step 3
- Most restrictions outdoors will be lifted, subject to a limit of 30 people.
- Friends and family can meet indoors, subject to the meeting of two households.
- Pubs and restaurants will also reopen indoors, along with cinemas, theatres, sports stadiums and some other venues.
From 21 June – step 4
- All legal limits on social contact removed, including weddings and the reopening of nightclubs
The government is also launching a series of reviews to explore further ways of easing limits. The first review will look at whether having a vaccine or a negative test result can reduce restrictions on social contact. A second review will pilot the impact of testing and reduced social distancing on events. A third will look at travel – International travel will not resume before 17 May, but a report on 12 April will look at how to facilitate more inbound and outbound travel. A fourth will review social distancing measures, such as the one-metre-plus rule, rules on face coverings and working from home. This will conclude ahead of 21 June.
Boris Johnson says free testing kits for workers will be extended until the end of June. He says the government will not “pull the rug out” from businesses in terms of the support they will receive from government – with more details to be announced at the upcoming Budget. He says the government will do whatever it takes to support jobs.
He finished by saying:
“I know there will be many people who will be worried that we are being too ambitious and that it is arrogant to impose any kind of plan on a virus,
“I agree that we must always be humble in the face of nature.
“Today the end really is in sight.”
Sharon Smith, Chief Executive, said:
“The roadmap to recovery should give businesses hope that this latest lockdown will indeed be the last that they will face. This longer-term plan is something that many businesses have been pleading for and should provide confidence, stability and encouragement. With the budget statement next week, it will provide government with an opportunity to expand on details of the financial support structure for businesses. With many businesses having to wait until April, or even longer in some cases before they can re-open, support and a longer-term plan is vital. An extension to the business rates relief, possible extension of the furlough scheme and the VAT cut for hospitality businesses all should be areas of key consideration.”
Dr Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce said:
“It is helpful that many businesses across England can now see a path to restart and recovery. Absolute clarity and honesty will be needed every step of the way over the weeks ahead, so that businesses have a fighting chance to rebuild. The stop-start dynamic of the past year, which has so damaged businesses and communities, must come to an end.
“Even with the Prime Minister’s new roadmap, the future of thousands of firms and millions of jobs still hangs by a thread. Many hard-hit businesses simply don’t have the cash reserves needed to hold out several more months before they are allowed to reopen. Businesses will hold the Prime Minister to his pledge to support firms for the duration of the pandemic, as this gruelling marathon nears its end. Businesses have haemorrhaged billions of pounds over the past year and need action now. All the key support schemes for business should be extended – through the summer and wherever possible throughout 2021 – to ensure that as many viable firms as possible can make it to the finish line and recover.”
On vaccination and testing, Marshall added:
“It is also critical that alongside the pace of the vaccination programme, workplace testing is expanded to businesses of all sizes and continued for as long as is necessary – to help keep our companies and communities open over the months ahead.”
On international travel, Marshall said:
“The safe restart of international travel is critical to UK trade, to hundreds of thousands of UK jobs, and to the prospects for a Global Britain. Companies want hard answers and a coordinated international approach agreed as soon as possible.”
On businesses facing the longest possible restrictions, Marshall said:
“The long wait continues for some businesses of critical importance to our local economies, including events. The task forces convened to look at how to reopen these sectors must deliver results quickly.”
Useful Links
- To find out what financial support your business can access, click here
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- Check how many cases there are in your area here.