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Revealed: When Lockdown Rules Will Lift In England

Sky News

England is set to remove all legal limits on people's social contact by 21 June, the prime minister has announced.

After schools reopen on 8 March, with some outdoor restrictions lifted by 29 March, Boris Johnson said the next step will be to reopen beer gardens and hairdressers in England on 12 April.

Boris Johnson is addressing MPs before leading a Downing Street news conference at 7pm.

Setting out his roadmap for easing England's third lockdown, Mr Johnson told MPs that the dates in his four-stage plan were not set in stone and were the earliest possible point at which the restrictions could be lifted.

The Prime Minister has set out four tests to lift England's lockdown restrictions.

STEP ONE

Schools and socialising

Boris Johnson says the return of students to the classroom is a priority, and they will now be the first thing to reopen.

All schools will allow all students back on 8 March under the government plans, despite concerns from teaching unions about opening up schools all at once.

From 8 March, people will be allowed to meet up with one other person outdoors in a public space.

They will be permitted to sit down for coffee or have a picnic in a park, a slight expansion on current rules allowing people to exercise with one person from another household.

As for meeting up in groups, outdoor gatherings of up to six people - or two households of any size - will be allowed from 29 March.

At this point  people will be no longer legally required to 'stay at home'.

STEP TWO

Non-essential retail, gyms, staycations and outdoor hospitality venues

Hairdressers, nail salons, gyms and outdoor areas in hospitality venues (such as beer gardens) set to reopen - along with libraries, museums, zoos and theme parks - could be allowed to open by April 12.

Self-contained accommodation will reopen, but people will only be able to stay with members of their household.

STEP THREE

Pubs, restaurants, cinemas, hotels, B&Bs and children's play areas set to open their doors once more on May 17 at the earliest, with fans allowed back into sporting events.

Most rules on social contact outdoors will be lifted, while mixing of different households will be allowed indoors.

Up to 30 people will be allowed at weddings, funerals, wakes, receptions and christenings

STEP FOUR

Social contact, weddings and events

All legal limits on social contact set to be removed, with the remaining sectors of the economy reopened. Weddings are the only events where some restrictions may have to remain

The PM said his roadmap would "guide us cautiously but irreversibly towards reclaiming our freedoms".

"The threat remains substantial with the numbers in hospital only now beginning to fall below the peak of the first wave in April," Mr Johnson told the Commons.

"But we are able to take these steps because of the resolve of the British people and the extraordinary success of our NHS in vaccinating more than 17.5 million people across the UK."

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