Three-quarters of England to be given stay-at-home order from midnight

Monday, 30 Dec, 2020 0

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has confirmed that three-quarters of the UK will be placed under Tier 4 restrictions at midnight tonight.

It will mean that millions more people will be unable to travel or take holidays they’ve already booked and paid for, sparking a further headache for agents who’ll have to process refund requests and holiday transfers.

Speaking in the House of Commons this afternoon, Mr Hancock said it was necessary to extend Tier 4 restrictions to more areas of England due to a sharp rise in cases to more than 53,000 in the past 24 hours.

"We must act to supress the virus now," he said. "The NHS is under very significant pressure. There are over 21,000 people in hospital with coronavirus."

Areas moving into Tier 4 from midnight tonight are available on the gov.uk website. They virtually double the number of people living in England under the toughest lockdown restrictions, which include a stay-at-home order.

Millions more people will move from Tier 2 to Tier 3 restrictions from midnight, meaning they will be advised but not banned from travelling. Guidance on the government website for those living in Tier 3 says ‘you should avoid travelling outside of your area. People should carefully consider whether they must travel abroad, and should follow the rules in their area’.

Linsey McNeill

Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk

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