Government announces which areas will be in tiers one, two and three

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has expressed his ‘heartache and frustration’ on behalf of businesses affected by COVID-19 restrictions, as the government announced London and most of the south east would be in tier two from 2 December.

Speaking at this evening’s Downing Street press conference, the Prime Minister said: “I know this will bring a great deal of heartache and frustration, especially for our vital hospitality sector – our pubs, our restaurants, our hotels, in so many ways the soul of our communities – which continue to bear a disproportionate share of the burden.”

Earlier today, government announced what tiers each area would be in. The tier allocation will be reviewed every 14 days, starting on 16 December.

Speaking at this evening’s Downing Street press conference, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “If we ease off now, we risk losing control of this virus all over again, casting aside our hard-won gains, and forcing us back into a New Year national lockdown with all the damage that would mean.”

Mr Johnson said the placing of each area in their respective tier was based on five indicators; cases across all ages and especially those over 60, the rate of which cases are rising and falling, the percentage of those tested in an area with coronavirus, and the pressure on the NHS.

He added: “I really wish it were otherwise, but if we are to keep schools open – as we must – then our options in bearing down on the disease are necessarily limited.”

Mr Johnson reiterated government’s commitment to protects jobs and livelihoods, and the Prime Minister said if people could work from home that they could continue to do so.

Mr Johnson said: “Your tier is not your destiny. Every area has the means of escape and I have no doubt that together we can get through this Winter, suppress the virus until vaccines come to our aid and then reclaim our lives and all the things that we love.”

The full list of restrictions and tiers by area is available here and the Prime Minister’s statement can be found here.

Full details on what you are allowed to do in each tier is available here.

You can read Matt Hancock’s statement to the House of Commons about the coronavirus situation and returning to strengthened local COVID restriction tiers here. Detail around the reasons why each region is in a specific tier can be found here.

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