The permissible get-togethers with family and friends in your bubble

Q Can I meet up with my wider family at Christmas?

A Yes, providing you are only meeting relatives from two other households.

You could also meet friends from two other households – or a mixture of both. The most important thing is that you stick to the limit of three households. You cannot change your bubble and the households in it once it is has been formed.

Q What if they live in a higher tier? Or in a different nation of the UK?

A That’s fine. People from all tiers can travel freely across the UK. However, if you live in Scotland or are visiting family north of the border you will be subject to slightly different rules on what constitutes a household.

Q Can I travel outside of the five-day window to get to where we will spend Christmas?

A It depends on the tier you live in. If you live in Tiers Two and Three you shouldn’t travel to your Christmas bubble before the window begins. In Tier One areas, technically you can meet indoors and stay overnight under the rule of six. However, the guidance is clear that Christmas bubbles should not link up before Dec 23 “except in exceptional circumstances”.

Q Can someone who lives in a care home join our Christmas bubble?

A Yes, but only if they are under the age of 65. If they are older than that they will have to stay at the care home to minimise the risk of infections being imported. Those that are permitted to join a bubble should maintain social distancing.

Q Can we all go for a pub lunch or to a panto?

A No, under the Christmas bubble system the relaxations only apply in private indoor and outdoor spaces, as well as places of worship.

Q Could our Christmas household meet another “bubble”? What about in a park?

A You can continue to meet people who are not in your Christmas bubble outside your home according to the rules in the tier where you are staying. The rule of six applies outdoors in all three tiers, so you are unlikely to all be able to congregate.

Q Does my Christmas bubble have to follow social distancing regulations?

A No, once in the bubble, family members are able to hug and interact freely.

Q What if my child is at university? Do they count as one household?

A Yes they will count as part of your household, meaning you can still bubble with two others.

Q If I am in a support bubble does that count as two households or just one?

A No, existing support bubbles also count as one household, meaning you can still link with two others.

Q can people who live in a shared house or with a partner split off into different bubbles?

A In England if you live in a shared house each person in the dwelling can go off into a different Christmas bubble.