HOW SOCIAL BUBBLES WORK AND HOW THEY HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL ELSEWHERE

Who is covered by the new arrangements in England?

Adults living alone or single parents living with children under the age of 18.

Some examples of those who would be able to benefit from “bubbling” are:

A grandparent living alone would be able to form a support bubble with one of their children, which means they could go to see them and interact with their grandchildren;

a single parent could form a support bubble with a parent or friend so they could interact as normal;

two single people who each live alone could form a support bubble;

a couple who don’t live together could form a bubble if they both live alone or if one of them lives with someone else (in this case the person who they live with wouldn’t be allowed to form another bubble).

What will they be able to do that they could not before?

They can form a bubble with one other household which means they will effectively be treated as a single household for the purpose of the lockdown rules. That means they can visit each other indoors in their homes – staying overnight if they wish – and they will not have to observe the two-metre socialdistancing rule.

How social bubbles have worked in other parts of the world

Allowing exclusive social networks of people (bubbles) to meet during the coronavirus crisis can provide important support to isolated people or those with emotional or care needs, a new paper has found.

The new report studies the use of bubbles in New Zealand, where they were introduced as part of lockdown measures in response to COVID-19. The bubbles began as small and exclusive – typically centred on a single household – and were allowed to expand and merge as transmission slowed. New Zealand was one of the first countries to allow citizens to socialise in multi-household bubbles on a mass scale. The researchers found bubbles are effective at providing support to those with complex childcare needs. They are also helpful in protecting some citizens from the mental health problems and emotional suffering that isolation can provoke, by allowing individuals living alone to ‘buddy’ up, first with another single-person household, then later with another bigger bubble.

The study found bubbles are an important way of recognising that many people do not live in a typical ‘nuclear household’ and are living alone, as single parents or with flatmates.

Who might benefit?

Elderly people living alone could form a bubble with the household of an adult son or daughter, enabling them to visit and even hug their grandchildren for the first time since lockdown. Single parents could pair up with their own parents, allowing them to share childcare duties and reuniting grandparents and grandchildren.

Couples who do not live together will be able to visit and to stay with each other.

If one half of a couple shares a flat or house with one or more other people, they can see their partner as long as they live alone – if their partner also shares a home they cannot see each other. And if several people share a flat or house and all have partners who live alone, only one will be able to see their partner, which could lead to some interesting conversations. This will affect large numbers of young people living in towns and cities.

What about households where both grandparents are still living – can they now visit their children and grandchildren?

At this stage only if their son or daughter is the only adult in the other household in the bubble. And if the grandparents have two or more children who live alone, they will have to choose between them. Downing Street has acknowledged not everyone will benefit from the change, although officials have hinted at a further loosening of the rules if the coronavirus outbreak continues to decline.

Can households form more than one bubble?

No. The arrangement must be exclusive.

Will people have to formally register these bubble arrangements?

No, it will be taken on trust. No 10 says the public has shown “great responsibility” in following the social-distancing rules so far.

Is there any limit on the distance between households in a bubble?

Again no, although officials are suggesting