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Millions enter toughest restrictions from 31 December as Covid-19 cases rise

A cyclist passes a tier 4 sign on a bus stopGetty Images

Millions more people across the UK are being told to stay at home as they enter the toughest level of Covid-19 restrictions.

The new rules will come into place on New Years Eve.

The Midlands, north east, parts of the north west and parts of the south west will enter tier four. They join millions already living under tier four restrictions in the south east.

Under tier four rules non-essential shops, hairdressers and indoor entertainment and leisure centres must close, and people can only meet in a public outdoor place with one person who's not from their household.

What are the rules?

Medium / Tier 1: Rule of six if meeting indoors or outdoors; pubs and restaurants shut at 11pm.

High / Tier 2: No household mixing indoors; rule of six applies outdoors; pubs and restaurants shut at 11pm.

Very high / Tier 3: No household mixing indoors or outdoors in hospitality venues or private gardens; delivery and take-away only for restaurants, indoor entertainment venues closed.

Stay at home / Tier 4: You should stay at home as much as possible, unless you have a reasonable excuse like essential shopping; education; work or to exercise. No household mixing indoors; you can meet 1 person from another household outdoors in a public place; all non-essential shops are closed; delivery and take-away only for restaurants; indoor entertainment and leisure centres closed.

Many areas currently in tier two will also now be moved into tier three.

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Which areas will move into tier four?

These areas will move to tier four from midnight on the 31 December.

  • Leicester City

  • Leicestershire

  • Lincolnshire

  • Northamptonshire

  • Derby and Derbyshire

  • Nottingham and Nottinghamshire

  • Birmingham and Black Country

  • Coventry

  • Solihull

  • Warwickshire

  • Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent

  • Lancashire

  • Cheshire and Warrington

  • Cumbria

  • Greater Manchester

  • Tees Valley

  • North East

  • Gloucestershire

  • Somerset Council

  • Swindon

  • Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

  • Isle of Wight

  • New Forest

Which areas will move into tier three?

The following areas will move into tier three from 31st December.

  • Rutland

  • Liverpool City Region

  • Bath and North East Somerset

  • Cornwall

  • Devon, Plymouth and Torbay

  • Dorset

  • Wiltshire

  • Herefordshire

  • Shropshire, and Telford and Wrekin

  • Worcestershire

  • City of York and North Yorkshire

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What else was said?

Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced the rule changes in parliament, saying: "I know that tier three and four measures place a significant burden on people... but I am afraid it is absolutely necessary because of the number of cases that we've seen."

Labour shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said the restrictions were having a huge impact on families and businesses who have been "in a form of restriction for months and months and months".

Elsewhere in the UK, mainland Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are already in lockdown.