From Monday 29 March, the ‘Stay at home’ rule will end, but many restrictions will still remain in place.
Evidence shows us that it is safer for people to meet outdoors rather than indoors. This is why from 29 March, when most schools start to break up for the Easter holidays, outdoor gatherings (including in private gardens) in a group of six (from any number of households), or in a group of any size from up to two households (each household can include existing support bubbles, if eligible), making it easier for friends and families to meet outside.
People will be able to take part in formally organised outdoor sports with any number of people (outdoor sports venues and facilities will be able to reopen) childcare and supervised activities will be allowed outdoors for all children.
Formally organised parent and child groups will be able to take place outdoors for up to fifteen attendees. Children under five will not be counted in this number.
People should continue to work from home where they can and minimise the number of journeys they make where possible, avoiding travel at the busiest times and routes. Travel abroad will continue to be prohibited, other than for a small number of permitted reasons. Holidays abroad will not be allowed, to manage the risk of imported variants and protect the vaccination programme. Anyone found to break this rule will risk being fined up to £5,000.
From 1 April, those identified as clinically extremely vulnerable will no longer be advised to shield. However, they should continue to take extra precautions to protect themselves. It is important that they continue to keep the number of social interactions they have low and try to limit the amount of time they spend in settings where they are unable to maintain social distancing.
For further information on the roadmap out of lockdown in England, please see COVID-19 Response – Spring 2021 (External link)