What do the Covid-19 tier restrictions in England mean, how are they decided and what exemptions are there?

England is divided into four tiers of coronavirus restrictions.

Tier 1 represents medium alert, while Tier 2 is high alert and Tier 3 is classified as very high alert. A new alert, Tier 4, was introduced from December 19. Below, we explain each in full.

The restrictions are designed to help reduce the spread of Covid-19.

To find out what area you’re in, read our piece on the latest tier arrangements (published December 23).

But how are these decided?

Under the government’s Covid-19 Winter Plan, it describes five indicators guiding its decisions for each area, which are considered alongside consideration of ‘human geographies’ like travel patterns.

These are:

• Case detection rates in all age groups
• Case detection rates in the over 60s
• The rate at which cases are rising or falling
• Positivity rate (the number of positive cases detected as a percentage of tests taken)
• Pressure on the NHS.

But the government states: “While each metric is important in its own right, the interplay between each indicator for a given area is equally important, so a hard and fast numerical threshold on each metric is not appropriate.”

Here is what you can and cannot do in each tier.

Tier 1 restrictions mean:

• people must not socialise in groups larger than six people, indoors or outdoors, other than where a legal exemption applies. This is called the ‘rule of 6’
• businesses and venues can remain open, in a Covid-secure manner, other than those which remain closed by law, such as nightclubs
• hospitality businesses selling food or drink for consumption on their premises are required to:
• provide table service only, for premises that serve alcohol
• close between 11pm and 5am (hospitality venues in airports, ports, on transport services and in motorway service areas are exempt)
• stop taking orders after 10pm
• hospitality businesses and venues selling food and drink for consumption off the premises can continue to do so after 10pm as long as this is through delivery service, click-and-collect or drive-through
• early closure (11pm) applies to casinos, cinemas, theatres, concert halls, museums, bowling alleys, amusement arcades, funfairs, theme parks, adventure parks and activities and bingo halls. Cinemas, theatres and concert halls can stay open beyond 11pm in order to conclude performances that start before 10pm
• public attendance at outdoor and indoor events (performances and shows) is permitted, limited to whichever is lower: 50% capacity, or either 4,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors
• public attendance at spectator sport and business events can resume inside and outside, subject to social contact rules and limited to whichever is lower: 50% capacity, or either 4,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors
• places of worship remain open, but you must not attend or socialise in groups of more than 6 people while there, unless a legal exemption applies
• weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on numbers of attendees – 15 people can attend wedding ceremonies and receptions, 30 people can attend funeral ceremonies, and 15 people can attend linked commemorative events
• organised outdoor sport, physical activity and exercise classes can continue
• organised indoor sport, physical activity and exercise classes can continue to take place, if the rule of 6 is followed. There are exceptions for indoor disability sport, sport for educational purposes, and supervised sport and physical activity for under-18s, which can take place with larger groups mixing

Tier 2 restrictions mean:

• people must not socialise with anyone they do not live with or who is not in their support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place
• people must not socialise in a group of more than six people outside, including in a garden or a public space – this is called the ‘rule of 6’
• businesses and venues can continue to operate, in a Covid-secure manner, other than those which remain closed by law, such as nightclubs
• pubs and bars must close, unless operating as restaurants. Hospitality venues can only serve alcohol with substantial meals
• hospitality businesses selling food or drink for consumption on their premises are required to:
• provide table service only, in premises which sell alcohol
• close between 11pm and 5am (hospitality venues in airports, ports, transport services and motorway service areas are exempt)
• stop taking orders after 10pm
• hospitality businesses and venues selling food and drink for consumption off the premises can continue to do so after 10pm as long as this is through delivery service, click-and-collect or drive-through
• early closure (11pm) applies to casinos, cinemas, theatres, museums, bowling alleys, amusement arcades, funfairs, theme parks, adventure parks and activities, and bingo halls. Cinemas, theatres and concert halls can stay open beyond 11pm in order to conclude performances that start before 10pm
• public attendance at outdoor and indoor events (performances and shows) is permitted, limited to whichever is lower: 50% capacity, or either 2,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors
• public attendance at spectator sport and business events can resume inside and outside, subject to social contact rules and limited to whichever is lower: 50% capacity, or either 2,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors
• weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on numbers of attendees – 15 people can attend wedding ceremonies and receptions, 30 people can attend funeral ceremonies, and 15 people can attend linked commemorative events such as wakes or stonesettings.
• organised outdoor sport, and physical activity and exercise classes can continue
• organised indoor sport, physical activity and exercise classes will only be permitted if it is possible for people to avoid mixing with people they do not live with (or share a support bubble with). There are exceptions for indoor disability sport, sport for educational purposes and supervised sport and physical activity for under-18s, which can take place with larger groups mixing

Tier 3 restrictions mean:

• people must not meet socially indoors, in a private garden or some outdoor public venues with anybody they do not live with or have a support bubble with. Everyone who can work from home should do so;
• people can see friends and family they do not live with (or do not have a support bubble with) in some outdoor public places - such as parks or public gardens in a group of up to 6;
• weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on the number of attendees – 15 people can attend wedding ceremonies, wedding receptions are not allowed, 30 people can attend funeral ceremonies, 15 people can attend linked commemorative events;
• accommodation such as hotels, B&Bs, campsites, holiday lets and guest houses must close, other than where very limited exceptions apply;
• hospitality settings, such as bars (including shisha bars), pubs, cafes, restaurants, and social clubs must close except for takeaway, delivery, drive-through and click and collect services. Takeaway must cease between 23:00 and 5:00, but delivery, drive-through and click-and-collect may continue during this period. This includes restaurants and bars within hotels or members’ clubs;
• indoor entertainment venues, such as casinos, bowling alleys, and bingo halls must close. Outdoor entertainment venues, such as botanical gardens and heritage sites, may stay open, although indoor elements at these attractions must also close. Cinemas, theatres, and concert venues must close; except for drive-in events; and
• leisure and sports facilities may continue to stay open, but group exercise classes (including fitness and dance) should not go ahead.

Tier 4 restrictions mean:

• People must not leave their home or garden unless they have a ‘reasonable excuse’ including for work, education, exercise and essential activities such as medical appointments and to buy food;
• people must not meet socially indoors, in a private garden or some outdoor public venues with anybody they do not live with or have a support bubble with. Everyone who can work from home should do so;
• people can see only one other person that they do not live with (or do not have a support bubble with) in some outdoor public places - such as parks or public gardens;
• weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on the number of attendees – 6 people can attend wedding ceremonies, wedding receptions are not allowed, 30 people can attend funeral ceremonies, 6 people can attend linked commemorative events;
• accommodation such as hotels, B&Bs, campsites, holiday lets and guest houses must close, other than where very limited exceptions apply;
• hospitality settings, such as bars (including shisha bars), pubs, cafes, restaurants, and social clubs must close except for takeaway, delivery, drive-through and click and collect services. Takeaway must cease between 11pm and 5am, but delivery, drive-through and click-and-collect may continue during this period. This includes restaurants and bars within hotels or members’ clubs;
• indoor entertainment venues, such as casinos, bowling alleys, and bingo halls must close. Outdoor entertainment venues, such as botanical gardens and heritage sites, may stay open, although indoor elements at these attractions must also close. Cinemas, theatres, and concert venues must close; except for drive-in events; and
• All indoor leisure and sports facilities must close.

Exemptions from gatherings limits in all tiers

The following exemptions apply:

• as part of a single household, or a support bubble
• for work or providing voluntary or charitable services, including in other people’s homes
• for childcare, education or training – meaning education and training provided as part of a formal curriculum
• for supervised activities provided for children, including wraparound care (before and after-school childcare), groups and activities for under 18s, and children’s playgroups
• for formal support groups, and parent and child groups – up to 15 people aged 5 and older
• to allow contact between birth parents and children in care, as well as between siblings in care
• for arrangements where children do not live in the same household as both their parents or guardians
• for prospective adopting parents to meet a child or children who may be placed with them
• for birth partners
• to attend a funeral – with no more than 30 people present – or a commemorative event such as a wake for someone who has died – with no more than 15 people present
• to see someone who is terminally ill or at the end of life
• to attend a wedding or civil partnership – with no more than 15 people present
• to provide emergency assistance
• to avoid injury or illness, or to escape a risk of harm
• to fulfil a legal obligation, such as attending court or jury service
• to provide care or assistance to someone vulnerable or to provide respite for a carer
• to facilitate moving home

Further details can be found on gov.uk.

Read more

Covid-19: What tier is Cambridgeshire in from Boxing Day? A full list of areas moving to Tier 2, 3 or 4 from December 26

Last-minute swap needed as BBC film Carols from King’s in Cambridge after two test positive for Covid-19

University of Cambridge researchers explain why Covid-19 mortality has fallen in the second wave

Sign up for our weekly newsletter and stay up to date