Covid rules: Which areas are under new coronavirus restrictions?

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Coronavirus restrictions are to be tightened in parts of north-west England, West Yorkshire and the Midlands.

They are the latest areas to see extra measures put in place as cases increase.

How many people are under extra restrictions?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said a second national lockdown would be likely to have "disastrous" financial consequences for the UK.

In total, at least 13.5 million people now face local restrictions in the UK, roughly one in five people.

This includes:

10.9 million people in England, or 19% of its population 1.8 million people in Scotland (32%) 422,000 people in Wales (13%) At least 411,000 people in Northern Ireland (22%)

About 55% of the North of England is facing restrictions, along with 22% of the Midlands.

Which areas have restrictions?

The nature and extent of restrictions vary around the UK. Some of the rules and places include:

England:

From 22 September, people in Merseyside, Warrington, Halton and the parts of Lancashire not already under tightened restrictions (excluding Blackpool - as coronavirus rates there are lower than in the rest of the county) must not mix with people outside their household in homes or gardens. Pubs and restaurants must shut at 22:00 BST On the same date, residents In Bradford, Kirklees, Calderdale, Wolverhampton, Oadby and Wigston will be banned from socialising with other people outside of their own households or support bubble in private homes and gardens Pub curfews and restrictions on people mixing have been introduced in Northumberland, Newcastle, Sunderland, North and South Tyneside, Gateshead and County Durham Households in Birmingham, Solihull and Sandwell are not allowed to mix Those in parts of Greater Manchester - including Salford, Bury and the City of Manchester, cannot mix with those from outside their household or support bubble Also in Greater Manchester, in Bolton, there are visitor limits on care homes, while hospitality venues will only be able to serve takeaways and must close between 22:00 and 05:00 People in Oldham, Blackburn with Darwen and Pendle should not meet anyone from outside their household outdoors In Leicester, people cannot host anyone they do not live with in their home or garden, unless they’re in their support bubble

Scotland:

People living in Glasgow city, East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire are banned from meeting people from another household inside their home

Wales:

People in Rhondda Cynon Taf should not enter or leave the area without a reasonable excuse like going to work or school; pubs and restaurants must close by 23:00 and people should not meet other households indoors People in Caerphilly county are not allowed to enter or leave the area "without a reasonable excuse" and should not meet indoors with anyone outside their household

Northern Ireland:

People in Ballymena town, the Belfast council area and certain Northern Irish postcodes are not allowed to go to each other's homes

Further details on the measures in place and specific areas affected have been published by the governments for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

When are new restrictions introduced in an area?

There is no set level of infection that triggers this in a particular place, but if it posts more than 40 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people, it is likely that extra restrictions will be considered.

Figures for the week of 5-11 September showed rates had gone up to 145.5 per 100,000 people in Oadby & Wigston, 111.2 in Warrington, 100.6 in Liverpool, and 61.8 in Wolverhampton.

The number of infections is not the only factor considered.

For example, cases in Northampton jumped to 125 per 100,000 in August. But as the rise was almost entirely down to workers at a local factory no restrictions were introduced.

Local decision-makers have a framework they can use to decide whether their area should be placed under extra restrictions to protect the public..

How long do local or regional restrictions last?

The situations are regularly reviewed and when the number of infections falls, restrictions start to be eased again.

For instance, restrictions in Aberdeen were introduced in August but later lifted.

How are these rules enforced?

Local authorities in England have powers to:

Close specific premises (such as shops, cafes and gyms) Shut outdoor spaces (such as parks, playgrounds and beaches) Cancel events (such as concerts, weddings and sporting events)

Central government can:

Close sectors or types of premises in local areas Introduce localised stay at home orders Reduce the maximum size of gatherings Restrict the use of transport Stop people leaving a certain area Image copyright Reuters Image caption Bolton has the highest case rate in the country, the health secretary says

Can police enforce the rules?

Police have powers to make sure people stick to the restrictions. For example, if they believe that somebody is staying away overnight, they can tell them to return home.

They can also fine people for breaking the rules, and may issue a "prohibition notice" directing somebody not to do something.

But if a resident from a locked-down area wants to go to a bar in another part of the city, for example, there is nothing legally to stop them.

Instead, the government hopes people's sense of civic responsibility will see them follow guidance to stay at home.