From 00:01 on Thursday 5 November 2020, England enters a national lockdown which will include a number of new restrictions. In light of this, the Government has issued information documenting what this means for working from home, business closures and the financial support available.

The guidance covers:

  • Stay at home
  • Staying safe outside the home (social distancing)
  • Meeting with family and friends
  • Businesses and venues
  • Weddings, civil partnerships, religious services and funerals
  • Going to work
  • Going to school, college and university
  • Childcare and children’s activities
  • Visiting relatives in care homes
  • Travel
  • Financial support

Below we cover some of the guidance in further detail. For more information about all the new restrictions coming into effect from 5 November, please head to the gov.uk website.

 

Businesses and venues

To reduce social contact, the Government has ordered certain businesses and venues to close. This includes:

  • All non-essential retail including, but not limited to clothing and electronics stores, vehicle showrooms, travel agents, betting shops, auction houses, tailors, car washes, tobacco and vape shops
  • Indoor and outdoor leisure facilities such as bowling alleys, leisure centres, gyms, sports facilities including swimming pools, golf courses and driving ranges, dance studios, stables and riding centres, soft play facilities, climbing walls and climbing centres, archery and shooting ranges, water and theme parks
  • Entertainment venues such as theatres, concert halls, cinemas, museums and galleries, casinos, adult gaming centres and arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, concert halls, zoos and other animal attractions and botanical gardens
  • Personal care facilities such as hair, beauty and nail salons, tattoo parlours, spas, massage parlours, body and skin piercing services, non-medical acupuncture and tanning salons
  • Food shops, supermarkets, garden centres and certain other retailers providing essential goods and services can remain open. Essential retail should follow COVID-secure guidelines to protect customers, visitors and workers
  • Non-essential retail can remain open for delivery to customers and click-and-collect
  • Hospitality venues such as restaurants, bars and pubs must close, but can still provide takeaway and delivery services. However, takeaway of alcohol will not be allowed
  • Hotels, hostels and other accommodation should only open for those who have to travel for work purposes and for a limited number of other exemptions which will be set out in law

A full list of the business closures will be published and set out in law shortly.

 

Going to work

Where people cannot do so (for example, those who work in critical national infrastructure, construction or manufacturing), they should continue to travel to work/attend their workplace.

The Government states that this is essential to keeping the country operating and supporting vital sectors and employers.

The risk of transmission can be reduced if COVID-secure guidelines are followed closely. Extra consideration should be given to those at higher risk. COVID-secure guidelines can be found on the gov.uk website.

If you have questions about any of the financial support schemes available, please get in touch with PKB and we’ll be able to advise and in some cases, apply on your behalf. 

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