Updated government guidance for Scotland & Wales

The latest Covid-19 rules and a new roadmap plan for Scotland and Wales. Let’s have a look at what the latest announcements state.

Scotland – from 2nd April

• Timetable for planned phasing

  2 April

  • lifting the ‘Stay at Home’ requirement and replacing it with a ‘Stay Local’ message (retaining the current, local authority-based travel restrictions for at least a three-week period)

  5 April

  We will continue to monitor closely this encouraging data. Assuming that all goes well, our next significant milestone for easing restrictions will be 5 April, when we plan to ease a wider range of current restrictions in level 4 areas (some of these activities/settings are already permitted/open in Level 3 island communities) including:

  • the resumption of outdoor contact sport for 12-17 year olds
  • return of college students within the top three priority groups identified by Colleges Scotland as most likely not to complete this academic year (estimated as 29% of learners)
  • reopening of non-essential ‘click and collect’ retail
  • extending the list of retail permitted to include:
    ° garden centres (indoor and outdoor)
    ° key cutting shops
    ° mobility equipment shops
    ° baby equipment shops
    ° electrical repair shops
    ° hairdressers and barbers (with shopfronts – not mobile services), by appointment only
    ° homeware shops
    ° vehicle showrooms (appointment only) and forecourts

  The prohibition of in-home socialising will continue to be kept under review at this date.

  12/19 April, depending on term times

  • all children back to school full-time

  26 April

  Subject to supply, by mid-April, we plan to have offered the vaccine to priority vaccine groups 1-9, based on the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation advice for protecting the most vulnerable in our population. Assuming the data allows it, we expect a more significant reopening of the economy and society from 26 April. This will likely include the following easings (some of these activities/settings are already permitted/open in Level 3 island communities).

  • extending outdoor socialising to permit up to 6 people from up to 3 households to gather
  • allowing 12-17 year olds to meet outdoors in groups of 6 from up to 6 households
  • travel within all of mainland Scotland permitted (subject to other restrictions that remain in place)
  • remaining shops can reopen and mobile close contact services can resume
  • gyms and swimming pools can reopen for individual exercise
  • tourist accommodation to reopen (self-catering accommodation to be restricted in line with rules on indoor gathering)
  • work in people’s homes to resume
  • non-essential childcare permitted
  • driving lessons and tests to resume
  • weddings and funerals for up to 50 (including wakes and receptions with no alcohol permitted)
  • libraries, museums, galleries re-open
  • outdoor hospitality to open till 10pm with alcohol permitted. Indoor hospitality permitted without alcohol and closing at 8pm
  • social mixing in indoor public places will be subject to current maximum of 4 people from up to 2 households

  The prohibition of in-home socialising will continue to be kept under review at this date.

  17 May

  Three weeks on from the publication of the last update, and given the progress with the vaccination programme and what we have learned about its impact on reducing transmission of the virus, we are now in a position to add a new indicative date for further easing of restrictions. From 17 May we hope to introduce the following easings:

  • re-introducing in-home socialising for up to 4 people from up to 2 households
  • further re-opening of hospitality: bars, pubs, restaurants and cafes can stay open until 10.30pm indoors with alcohol permitted and 2 hour time-limited slots and until 10pm outdoors with alcohol permitted
  • adult outdoor contact sport and indoor group exercises can resume
  • cinemas, amusement arcades and bingo halls can re-open subject to capacity constraints
  • small scale indoor and outdoor events can resume subject to capacity constraints (to be confirmed following stakeholder engagement)
  • colleges and universities can return to a more blended model of learning
  • non-professional performance arts can resume outdoors

  June

  We know that the coronavirus is unpredictable and is adept at mutating in order to survive. It is also vital that we allow enough time between different sets of easings to assess what effect they have had on the R number and other virus indicators. For that reason, it is too early now to give specific dates beyond May. However, we understand the need for people and businesses to plan and so, to give a broad sense of likely timings, from the start of June, we would aim for Scotland to move back to Level 1. This will allow further relaxation across all areas of the economy and society, while still applying physical distancing and other non-pharmaceutical interventions and the FACTS guidance. From the end of June, we hope that we will be able to move to Level 0.

  We must also be prepared to pause if the data shows that the virus is spreading again. We will act decisively to reapply higher levels of restrictions to manage localised outbreaks should the need arise. This could be on a local or regional basis, depending on the nature of the outbreak. However, we will not leave any restrictions in place for any longer than they are necessary to meet our responsibility to safeguard the people of Scotland.

  Early June

  • up to 6 people from up to 3 households can socialise indoors in a home or public place
  • up to 8 people from 3 households can socialise outdoors.
  • 8 12-17 year olds can meet socially from 8 households outdoors
  • hospitality can remain open until 11pm
  • attendance at events can increase, subject to capacity constraints
  • indoor non-contact sport can take place.
  • increased numbers at life events and places of worship subject to stakeholder engagement
  • casinos, funfairs and soft play can open, subject to capacity constraints

  From end of June

  • up to 6 people from up to 3 households can socialise indoors in a home or public place.
  • a phased return of some office staff
  • events increase numbers subject to capacity constraints
  • increased numbers at life events and places of worship subject to stakeholder engagement
• Primary students will go back to school full-time with secondary school children having a mix of face-to-face and online lessons.
• Four adults from two households can now meet in outside spaces, including private gardens.
• Young people aged 12-17 can meet up in groups of four, without being limited to two households.
• Non-contact outdoor sport can resume for adults in groups of up to 15 people.

Scottish weddings

The different levels will dictate who can attend weddings.

• Level 0: no more than 50 people should attend
• Level 1, 2 or 3: no more than 20 people should attend
• Level 4: no more than 5 people (or 6, if an interpreter is required) and no wedding receptions

We will keep you updated on any further developments.

Wales – Updated 27 March

Saturday, 27 March stay-at-home rules will be partial lifted.

• What you must do

  From 27 March you must:

  • follow social distancing rules with people you don’t live with or who are not in your support bubble
  • wear a face covering (if you are able to) in all indoor public places
  • not create an extended household (some people may be able to form a support bubble with one other household)
  • meet only the people you live with or your support bubble indoors
  • limit the number of people you meet socially (a maximum of 6 people from 2 households can meet outdoors including in private gardens)
  • not travel outside of Wales without a reasonable excuse
  • not travel internationally without reasonable excuse

  What can open

  • schools, colleges and childcare providers (informal childcare should be essential only)
  • higher Education Institutions (mix of in-person and remote learning)
  • places of worship
  • community centres - limited opening (for example, for essential public services)
  • crematoriums
  • playgrounds and public parks
  • weddings, in venues that are allowed to be open, and funerals (ceremony limit set by venue)
  • outdoor sports courts and courses
  • hair salons and barbers
  • garden centres
  • libraries
  • some outdoor visitor attractions
  • self-contained accommodation
  • organised outdoor activities for the development and wellbeing of children

  What must be closed

  • venues for events and conferences
  • theatres and concert halls
  • indoor and the majority of outdoor visitor attractions
  • entertainment venue
  • wedding reception or wake
  • indoor leisure and fitness facilities
  • hospitality (except for takeaway and delivery)
  • close contact services (except for hair salons and barbers)
  • most non-essential retail (click and collect allowed)
  • llcensed premises, takeaway and delivery only between 6am and 10pm
  • nightclubs and adult entertainment venues.

Welsh weddings

Licensed wedding venues have reopened from 27th March but wedding receptions are still not allowed.

If you need a suit for your next event or big day, get in touch with our talented tailoring team.

Want to know about the regulations for the UK, check out this post: The New UK Government Guidance on Weddings.