Coronavirus: What are the changes to tiers in England?

More areas will be under Tier 3 restrictions from 19 December, after cases of Covid-19 rose by 46 percent in the last week in the south of England

It means from just after midnight on Saturday, a total of 38 million people will be living under England's toughest coronavirus restrictions this Christmas - equivalent to over two thirds (68%) of the population.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced that eight areas will move from Tier 2 into Tier 3 because the number of cases of coronavirus have risen there.

He said "no one wants tougher restrictions longer than necessary," but he added that in some places tougher restrictions are needed, to help ease pressure on the National Health Service (NHS).

There had been calls for restrictions to be eased in the north of England but the government has decided the restrictions will remain the same there.

Things were improving in some areas though and three areas will move to a lower tier than they were in before.

London, along with parts of Essex and Hertfordshire, already moved into Tier 3 on Wednesday.

Areas going up into Tier 3

Bedfordshire

Buckinghamshire

Berkshire

Peterborough

The whole of Hertfordshire

Surrey, except Waverley

Hastings and Rother

Portsmouth, Gosport and Havant

Areas going down into Tier 2

Bristol

North Somerset

Area going down into Tier 1

Herefordshire

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own rules to reduce the spread of coronavirus, but the four nations have agreed on some UK-wide measures over Christmas.