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Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed lockdown measures will be imposed on parts of the North East from Friday, September 18. Mr Hancock said households in Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Gateshead, Sunderland and County Durham should not socialise with other people outside of their household or support bubble.

What is a support bubble?

A support bubble, also known as a social bubble, is a support network between a household with only on adult in the home and another household of any size.

The bubble was introduced to combat loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Once you’re in a support bubble, you can be with people in the other household as you would as if it was your own.

You can have close contact with that household as well as your own.

From September 14, if you form or continue in a support bubble, you cannot then change your support bubble.

It does not have to be the same support bubble you may have been in previously.

The lockdown restrictions in parts of the North East come following “concerning rates of infection”, Mr Hancock said.

Mr Hancock told MPs in the Commons on Thursday: “The battle against coronavirus is not over.

“And while we strain every sinew to spring free of its clutches, with winter on the horizon we must prepare, bolster our defences, and come together once again against this common foe.

“One of our vital lines of defence has been taking targeted action at a local level.

“We’ve seen local action work well in some parts of the country, and now we must take further action.”

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Who can form a support bubble?

If you’re in a single-adult household you can form a support bubble with another household of any size that is not part of a support bubble with anyone else. However, you must:

live by yourself – even if carers visit you to provide support

are a single parent living with children who were under 18 on June 12, 2020

If you live with other adults, including if your carer or carers live with you can form a support bubble with one single-adult household who are not part of a support bubble with anyone else.

You can also form a bubble with another household if you share custody of your child with someone you don’t live with.

However, the Government says those forming social bubbles together should try to live as close to each other as possible to avoid having to travel on public transport.

This will also “help to prevent the virus spreading from an area where there might be a higher rate of infection”, the Government advises.

If NHS Test and Trace contacts you or someone in your support bubble, you should follow their guidance.

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