A summary of the UK ‘tiered’ restrictions that were implemented from October 2020 to early January 2021
| Tier | Mixing | Bars, pubs and restaurants | Retail, indoor leisure, accommodation, personal care, entertainment, places of worship | Education | Travel | Weddings and funerals | Exercise | Residential home visits | Large sporting events, live performance and business meetings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 (Medium alert) | Maximum of six indoors or outdoors, apart from with members of a single household or support bubble | Bars, pubs and restaurants must be table service only, stop taking orders at 10pm, close by 11pm | Open | Schools and universities open | Travelling possible but avoid going to Tier 3 areas Overnight stays permitted with household, support bubble or up to 6 people | 15 guests for weddings and 30 for funerals | Permitted but maximum of six indoors | Indoor visits limited to two people from a Tier 1 area with social distancing, no physical contact, PPE use and good hand hygiene | Limited to 50% capacity of 4,000 people outdoors (whichever is lower) and 50% capacity or 1,000 people indoors (whichever is lower) |
| Tier 2 (High alert) | No mixing of households indoors, apart from support bubbles. Maximum of six outdoors | Pubs and bars must close. Restaurants can only serve alcohol with meals. Venues must stop taking orders at 10pm, close by 11pm | Open | Schools and universities open | Reduce travelling if possible. Avoid entering a Tier 3 area | 15 guests for weddings and 30 for funerals | Classes and organised sport can take place outdoors, but not indoors | Outdoor/airtight visits only | Limited to 50% capacity or 2000 people outdoors (whichever is lower) and 40% capacity or 1000 people indoors (whoever is lower) |
| Tier 3 | No mixing of households indoors, apart from support bubbles. Maximum of six outdoors | Hospitality is closed, with exception of sales by takeaway, drive-through or delivery | Retail, indoor leisure, personal care and places of worship open. Entertainment venues, accommodation closed | Schools and universities open | Overnight stays advised to be avoided. Avoid travelling outside own area if possible | 15 guests for weddings and 30 for funerals | Classes and organised adult sport can date place outdoors only | Outdoor/airtight visits only | Events should not take place; drive-in events permitted |
| Tier 4 | No household mixing, apart from support bubbles. Maximum of two people mixing outdoors | Hospitality is closed, with exception of sales by takeaway, drive-through or delivery | Essential shops open only; all other venues closed. Places of worship open for private prayer and communal worship | Schools and universities open | Overnight stays must be avoided. Travel is only permitted for work or education. Must not leave a Tier 4 area | Selected funerals of up to 30 people permitted only | Exercise is permitted on an individual basis only, with household or support bubble or with one person from another household | Outdoor/airtight visits only, Clinically extremely vulnerable advised to stay home as much as possible, except to go outdoors for exercise or to attend health appointments | Events should not take place |
| Lockdown Regulations in March 2020 – July 2020 | No mixing of household until 13 June 2020, when support bubbles were instigated | All closed | All closed apart from essential shops. Outdoor non-food markets can reopen | All closed | Overnight stays not permitted | Only certain funerals permitted | Outdoor exercise alone or with other members of the household permitted only | Not permitted; 13 June rules were relaxed to allow some to visit care homes | Events should not take place |
| Lockdown Regulations in January 2021 | No mixing of households, apart from support bubbles | Hospitality is closed, with exception of sales by takeaway, drive-through or delivery | All closed apart from essential shops. Places of worship open for private prayer and communal worship | Schools open for vulnerable children and children of critical workers. Universities open for students in medicine/dentistry/health/social work/veterinary science/education | Overnight stays must be avoided Travel is only permitted for work or education | Funerals allowed, maximum of 30 people. Weddings allowed for 6 people | Outdoor exercise alone or with other members of the household permitted only | Care home visits can take place with arrangements such as substantial screens, visiting pods or behind windows | Events should not take place |