The Government has published its COVID-19 Winter Plan including details of England’s lockdown exit strategy and details of the revised tiers for England from 3 December.

Relevant extracts from the plan include:

A TARGETED APPROACH IN ENGLAND

The prevalence of the virus will remain high across the country on 2 December, with regional differences. The Government must therefore reimpose a tiered regional approaching England to keep suppressing the virus through the winter period.

The Government will introduce a new, stronger and more sustainable tiers framework on 2 December:

Medium (Click here for a summary table of the restriction)

• Pubs, bars and restaurants restricted to table service only, last orders at 22:00 and close at 23:00

High (Click here for a summary table of the restriction)

• Pubs and bars must close unless they are operating as takeaway.

Very High (Click here for a summary table of the restriction)

• Hospitality venues must remain closed.

BEHAVIOURS AND COMPLIANCE

The Government will legislate to enhance the tools available to Local Authorities. Local Authorities will be given streamlined powers to issue improvement and restriction notices to businesses that are breaching COVID-secure rules, with the ability to compel the immediate closure of a premise that is not complying with COVID-Secure regulations. These new powers will enable upper and lower tier Local Authorities to take swift and effective action against those premises that are posing a risk to public health. Businesses will also face financial penalties for not meeting the requirements of an improvement or restriction notice issued by a Local Authority. The Government is clear that these powers should only be used where necessary and proportionate to do so, and by trained local authority enforcement officers. Local Authorities will continue the approach they have taken to date; engaging, educating and encouraging premises to comply, and only taking enforcement action to address the most pressing public health risks.

Read the Prime Minister's statement on the COVID-19 Winter Plan