England’s Tier Restrictions Explained

Visas, Immigration & Nationality

England’s Tier Restrictions Explained

While everyone sighed in great relief at the news that England’s second national lockdown would finally end, the announcement that it was to be replaced with a togher regional restrictions left a stark reminder that the pandemic is not yet over and hopefully things will get better soon.

Authorities are asking everyone to remain vigilant and to stick with the progress with the recommended health measures so as not to undo the sacrifice we put it during the lockdown. 

The following criteria used to base the decision.

  • the case rates in all age groups
  • cases among the over 60s
  • the rate at which cases are rising or falling
  • the positivity rate
  • and the pressures on the local NHS

Starting 2nd of December, England will be placed in the following tier restrictions.  

Tier 3: Very High Alert 

Indoor hospitality businesses will close except for takeaway, and all indoor entertainment venues will be closed

North East

  • Tees Valley Combined Authority:
    • Hartlepool
    • Middlesbrough
    • Stockton-on-Tees
    • Redcar and Cleveland
    • Darlington
  • North East Combined Authority:
    • Sunderland
    • South Tyneside
    • Gateshead
    • Newcastle upon Tyne
    • North Tyneside
    • County Durham
    • Northumberland

North West

  • Greater Manchester
  • Lancashire
  • Blackpool
  • Blackburn with Darwen

Yorkshire and the Humber

  • The Humber
  • West Yorkshire
  • South Yorkshire

West Midlands

  • Birmingham and Black Country
  • Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent
  • Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull

East Midlands

  • Derby and Derbyshire
  • Nottingham and Nottinghamshire
  • Leicester and Leicestershire
  • Lincolnshire

South East

  • Slough (remainder of Berkshire is tier 2: High alert)
  • Kent and Medway

South West

  • Bristol
  • South Gloucestershire
  • North Somerset

Tier 2: High alert  

Bars and restaurants can only serve alcohol alongside a substantial meal, indoor and out sports venues are open at limited numbers. Business events can resume.

North West

  • Cumbria
  • Liverpool City Region
  • Warrington and Cheshire

Yorkshire

  • York
  • North Yorkshire

West Midlands

  • Worcestershire
  • Herefordshire
  • Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin

East Midlands

  • Rutland
  • Northamptonshire

East of England

  • Suffolk
  • Hertfordshire
  • Cambridgeshire, including Peterborough
  • Norfolk
  • Essex, Thurrock and Southend on Sea
  • Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes

London

  • all 32 boroughs plus the City of London

South East

  • East Sussex
  • West Sussex
  • Brighton and Hove
  • Surrey
  • Reading
  • Wokingham
  • Bracknell Forest
  • Windsor and Maidenhead
  • West Berkshire
  • Hampshire (except the Isle of Wight), Portsmouth and Southampton
  • Buckinghamshire
  • Oxfordshire

South West

  • South Somerset, Somerset West and Taunton, Mendip and Sedgemoor
  • Bath and North East Somerset
  • Dorset
  • Bournemouth
  • Christchurch
  • Poole
  • Gloucestershire
  • Wiltshire and Swindon
  • Devon

Tier 1: Medium alert 

People are allowed limited travel and work from home where possible, bars and restaurants can only serve alcohol alongside a substantial meal, indoor and out sports venue is open at limited number. Business events can resume.

South East

  • Isle of Wight

South West

  • Cornwall
  • Isles of Scilly

A brief reprieve will be allowed for Christmas as three households are permitted to form temporary “Christmas bubbles” from 23rd until 27th of December. 

What are your thoughts on these new measures? Comment below.

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Charlie

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