What is permitted now that we’ve been put in Tier 4?

MATT Hancock announced that the region will face the toughest restrictions during a speech in the House of Commons yesterday afternoon.

He confirmed that Newcastle, Gateshead, Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland, County Durham, would be put into Tier 4, starting at one minute past midnight.

Under these restrictions, non-essential shops, hairdressers and leisure and entertainment venues must close, with a new ‘stay at home’ message introduced.

People who need to travel for education or childcare are exempt, and exercise is unlimited.

Here we round up the Tier 4 rules. What can remain open in Tier 4? Essential services, such as shops selling food, are among the venues and businesses which can open. The list of businesses and venues allowed to open in Tier 4 also includes:

–Supermarkets, pharmacies, garden centres, building merchants and suppliers of building products and offlicences;

-Market stalls selling essential retail goods;

–Businesses providing repair services if they primarily offer repair services;

–Petrol stations, automatic (but not manual) car washes, vehicle repair and MOT services, bicycle shops, and taxi and vehicle hire businesses;

–Banks, building societies, post offices, short-term loan providers and money transfer businesses;

–Funeral directors; –Launderettes and dry cleaners; –Medical and dental services; –Veterinary surgeries and pet shops; –Animal rescue centres, boarding facilities, and animal groomers (for animal welfare rather than aesthetic purposes);

–Agricultural supplies shops; –Mobility and disability support shops; –Storage and distribution facilities; –Car parks, public toilets and motorway service areas; –Outdoor playgrounds; –Outdoor gym, pools, sports courts and facilities, including golf courses, archery/driving/shooting ranges and riding centres;

–Places of worship; –Crematoriums and burial grounds Travel

If you live in a Tier 4 area you must

not leave your home unless you have a ‘reasonable excuse’. This would include for work you can’t do from home, for caring responsibilities and to access education.

You can also visit those within your support bubble, take your pet to the vet’s, buy goods from shops that are open and exercise outdoors.

Travel outside Tier 4 areas

You must stay at home and not leave your Tier 4 area, other than for legally permitted reasons, such as travel for work, education or caring responsibilities.

You can also travel out of a Tier 4 area to visit or stay overnight with people in you support bubble, childcare bubble or for childcare purposes.

Travel to go to hospital, the GP or other medical appointments is also allowed.

Finally, you can travel to provide emergency assistance, and to avoid injury or illness, or to escape a risk of harm, such as domestic abuse.

Education and childcare

Schools and colleges will remain open in Tier 4 areas. Universities have been told they must follow guidance to allow their students to return safely in the spring term. Students living away from home have also told they should not move between university and their permanent address in term time. However, they can meet with groups outside of their household as long as it makes up part of their formal education and training.

Parents in Tier 4 areas will still be able to access childcare, with early-years settings and child minders still open.

‘Childcare bubbles’ will also be able to be formed with other households. Visiting relatives in care homes Visits to care homes can take place with arrangements such as substantial screens, visiting pods, or behind windows. Close-contact indoor visits are not allowed.

Weddings

Only six people can go to a Tier 4 wedding, including the couple getting married.

Sports and physical activity

Indoor facilities must close. Outdoor sports and gym facilities and playgrounds will remain open and can be used for individual exercise, and for people to use within their household/support bubbles or with one person from another household. Organised outdoor sport for under-18s and the disabled is allowed.