Christmas in Atherstone, what are the restrictions in place this year?

Needless to say, Christmas in 2020 will be like no other we have had before, however in order to make the most of what we can here are the rules that the UK Government has set out for the festive period.

For a limited time only, the government are relaxing some of the social contact rules with the hope of allowing families to enjoy each other's company this Christmas.

The government has said "When following these new rules, we must each continue to take personal responsibility to limit the spread of the virus and protect our loved ones, particularly if they are vulnerable."

Whilst normally different sections of the country are experiencing different rules depending on what tier of the three-tiered restrictions they are placed in, for Christmas, the rules will be uniform everyone across the United Kingdom.

Between 23 and 27 December:

- You can form an exclusive 'Christmas bubble' composed of people from no more than three households

- You can only be in one Christmas bubble

- You cannot change your Christmas bubble

- You can travel between tiers and UK nations for the purposes of meeting your Christmas bubble

- You can only meet your Christmas bubble in private homes or in your garden, places of worship, or public outdoor spaces

- You can continue to meet people who are not in your Christmas bubble outside your home according to the rules in the tier you are meeting in

- If you form a Christmas bubble, you should not meet socially with friends and family that you do not live with in your home or garden unless they are part of your Christmas bubble

- You should travel to meet those in your Christmas bubble and return home between the 23 and 27 December. Anyone travelling to or from Northern Ireland may travel on the 22 and 28 December.

The small print

Christmas bubbles are to include no more than three households. However, if you and another household were already in a support bubble, then this counts as one household for the purposes of the Christmas rules.

Childcare bubbles are however, being classed as two separate households under the Christmas rules.

Students are considered to be part of the household to which they have returned.

You can still meet people not in your Christmas bubble outside, as per the tiered rules and the 'Rule of Six.'

The rules can be seen in full on the Government Website.