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England will next week go back into a tiered system following a strict month-long lockdown. Areas across England will be placed into one of three tiers, with the strictest at Tier 3.

The tier system was in place before lockdown – however, the rules have been tightened following the second lockdown – dubbed lockdown 2.0.

Approximately 23.3 million people – 41.5 percent of the population of England – will face the most stringent restrictions.

And 32 million people, which is 57.3 percent of the population, will be in the second tier.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “These are not easy decisions, but they have been made according to the best clinical advice.”

Read More: Boxing Day sales cancelled: Which shops will be closed on Boxing Day?

What are the rules on visiting family? Can I visit my parents?

The rules on social visits depend on which tier your area is in.

Under Tier 1, you must not socialise in groups larger than six people, indoors or outdoors, other than where a legal exemption applies.

If you live in a Tier 1 area and travel to an area in a higher tier you should follow the rules for that area while you are there.

This means if your family live in a Tier 2 area, you must follow the rules of Tier 2 when visiting.

Unfortunately, under Tier 2 rules, you must not socialise with anyone you do not live with or who is not in your support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place.

You can only meet up indoors, including both private homes and public hospitality venues, with members of your household or those in your support bubble.

In Tier 3, you must not meet socially indoors or in most outdoor places with anybody you do not live with, or who is not in your support bubble, this includes in any private garden or at most outdoor venues.

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You must not socialise in a group of more than six in some other outdoor public spaces.

This includes parks, beaches, countryside accessible to the public, a public garden, grounds of a heritage site or castle, or a sports facility.

However, the rules around Christmas dictate families can create special Christmas bubbles to spend time together for the festive season.

Between December 23 and 27, Britons can make a bubble with up to three households.

The Government rules state between 23 and 27 December:

you can form an exclusive ‘Christmas bubble’ composed of people from no more than three households

you can only be in one Christmas bubble

you cannot change your Christmas bubble

you can travel between tiers and UK nations for the purposes of meeting your Christmas bubble

you can only meet your Christmas bubble in private homes or in your garden, places of worship, or public outdoor spaces

you can continue to meet people who are not in your Christmas bubble outside your home according to the rules in the tier where you are staying

you cannot meet someone in a private dwelling who is not part of your household or Christmas bubble

You should travel to meet those in your Christmas bubble and return home between the 23 and 27 December.

Anyone travelling to or from Northern Ireland may travel on the 22 and 28 December.

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