The government has set out regulations which will pave the way to the easing of all restrictions from June 21.
These plan proposals are to maintain support for the most vulnerable, businesses and public services.
Government support packages, such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, have been rapidly rolled out under the Coronavirus Act, providing income for many families and a life-line to thousands of businesses throughout the pandemic.
With the extraordinary success of the UK’s historic vaccination programme, with over half of all adults now vaccinated, and the commitment of the public in playing their part, infection and hospitalisation rates have fallen significantly.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “We are today setting out the legal foundations which, if agreed by Parliament, will deliver the Roadmap out of lockdown.
“These measures have been vital to reducing infections, hospital admissions and deaths across the country, and thanks to peoples’ commitment and support, we have made strong progress.”
The regulations set out today mean from 29 March outdoor gatherings of either 6 people or 2 households will be allowed including in private gardens.
The government has been clear that the roadmap out of lockdown is cautious, but irreversible.
It sets out which measures must continue in order to protect the hard-won progress and ensure the nation can meet the four tests which will allow further unlocking to take place.
A full review will be conducted in advance of moving to step 2 of the Roadmap on 12th April.
The health secretary also said: “We are rightly ending as many national measures as safely as possible, while maintaining those which remain necessary and proportionate to help reduce and control infections further as we cautiously but irreversibly ease restrictions and our historic vaccination programme continues apace.
The regulations laid today will be voted on by Parliament this Thursday, and if approved, will replace the ‘All Tiers’ regulations which were made to enact the tier system at the end of last year.
Alongside the Roadmap regulations, the government has today published a review of the Coronavirus Act ahead of a vote in parliament, which sets out 15 measures which will be expired or suspended after Easter recess as they are no longer essential to the national response to COVID-19.
It explains which measures of the Act will be retained and how they will help to support businesses and individuals, shore up capacity in the health and care service and ensure delivery of essential public services.
The Act ensured the NHS had the capacity to deal with the peak of the virus by allowing the temporary registration of nurses and other healthcare professionals.
It provided courts with the ability to use video technology and it allowed the government to put in place support packages such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, which have provided a source of income for families and a lifeline for many businesses.
It has also enabled businesses to access loan schemes, which have provided over £72 billion of support to businesses with over 1.5 million loans approved.
