LARGE swathes of the UK have been placed on high or very high alert as coronavirus continues to grip the nation.
A rise in covid cases saw Prime Minister Boris Johnson introduce new restrictions for parts of Britain – meaning support bubbles could be crucial in meeting others.
What is a support bubble?
Anyone who lives alone at the moment will be able to form a new bubble with another household – of any size.
A support bubble is defined by the government as “a close support network between one household with only one adult in the home (known as a single-adult household) and one other household of any size”.
The support bubbles are estimated to benefit around to 8.2 million people across the country.
Who can be in a support bubble?
Any lone parent with kids under 18 is classed as single and is eligible to be in a support bubble.
And single parents with kids can form a bubble with another house too – so they can stay overnight, help with childcare or provide much needed support.
It means grandparents living on their own can see their grandchildren for example.
And they will form a part of the exemptions for the new rules which came in Monday, September 14 whereby a maximum of six people are allowed to meet indoors and outside.
These can be up to six households, but those flouting face fines of £100 – which will be doubled for repeat offences up to £3,200.
Yet, should a support bubble exceed the six-person limit, they will be exempt from the rules and not face any fines.
Can you form a support bubble in Tier 2?
Yes, you can form a support bubble under Tier Two restrictions.
However, the Rule of Six still applies in any tier – so if your support bubble contains more than six people you should not meet all at once.
It is fine, however, to meet with people from your support bubble in groups of appropriate sizes.
Can you form a support bubble in Tier 3?
Yes.
In Tier Three mixing between households is banned – but support bubbles are exempt.
The government website states: “People must not meet with anybody outside their household or support bubble in any indoor or outdoor setting, whether at home or in a public space.”
Do I have to stay two metres apart from them?
No. You can visit them in their own home, stay overnight, and you don’t need to stay apart.
Basically, they can act as though they are a part of your household
You can travel between their house and yours, or they can move in with your family.
Can I bubble up with more than one household?
No, you can pick only one and see them as much as you like.
You can’t swap in and out of multiple households.
However, you don’t have to move in with your new bubble – it’s OK to travel back and forth to see them.
This can technically be as far as you like, but officials stressed that having a local bubble would be better.
Single people will only be able to bubble up with one other household, meaning they should maintain social distancing measures when visiting others.
What if one of us gets sick?
Then the whole bubble will have to isolate together for 14 days.
Anyone who develops symptoms should get tested for the virus.
Where do the new rules apply?
England were one of the first in the UK to introduce support bubbles, but they have been rolled out to other home nations.
Scotland and Wales also have them in place, and you can even form cross-border support bubbles.
Northern Ireland also introduced the support bubbles at the same time as England.
