The UK government has announced a four-step roadmap to ease restrictions across England, with each step to be assessed against four tests before moving onto the next one.
Although the Prime Minister has announced tentative dates, these can be postponed if infections rates, hospitalisations and deaths are too high to relax safety measures.
March 8: schools will reopen with outdoor activities resuming after or before classes; two non-cohabiting people will be allowed to sit down outdoors for a picnic or walk with a coffee; care home residents can be visited by one person who has tested negative for COVID-19 and wearing PPE; university students on practical courses can return to face-to-face learning.
March 29: either six people or two households can meet outdoors, even in private gardens; outdoor sports facilities will reopen with organised outdoor sports allowed; people will no longer be legally required to stay home although they will be asked to minimise travel, with a ban on overnight stays.
April 12: non-essential retail, personal care premises (hairdressers and nail salons), public buildings (libraries and community centres), zoos, theme parks, drive-in cinemas, self-contained holiday accommodation will reopen; indoor leisure facilities (gym and swimming pools) will reopen for use by people on their own or with their household; hospitality venues will serve people outdoors only, with no curfew or substantial meals required with drinks; funerals can host up to 30 people and weddings 15.
May 17: outdoor performances (cinemas and theatres), indoor entertainment venues (cinemas and soft play areas), indoor adult group sports and exercise classes will reopen; hospitality venues will be able to serve customers indoors; most social contact rules will be lifted outdoors but gatherings of over 30 people will remain illegal; larger performances and sporting events in indoor venues with a capacity of 1,000 people or half-full (whichever is lower) will also be allowed, as will those in outdoor venues with a capacity of 4000 people or half-full (whichever is lower) will be allowed; up to 10,000 people will be able to attend outdoor seated venues where crowds can spread out.
June 21: the government hopes to remove all legal limits on social contact and private functions (such as weddings), to reopen nightclubs, lift restrictions on large events and performances.