Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced new tiers for England, coming into force of Boxing Day.  The next formal announcement was not due until later in the month.

• From the beginning of 26 December, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire and most of Hampshire to be escalated to Tier 4, Cheshire and Northamptonshire escalated to Tier 3, and Cornwall and Herefordshire escalated to Tier 2
• Latest data confirms rapid case rises are strongly linked to the new strain of coronavirus

After careful consideration of the latest data, the following local authority areas will move to Tier 4: Stay at Home from the beginning of 26 December:

• Brighton and Hove
• Cambridgeshire
• remaining parts of East Sussex not already in Tier 4 (Eastbourne Borough Council, Lewes District Council and Wealden District Council)
• remaining parts of Essex not already in Tier 4 (Colchester Borough, Tendring District, and Uttlesford District Councils)
• Hampshire (Basingstoke and Deane Borough, East Hampshire District, Eastleigh Borough, Fareham Borough, Hart District, Rushmoor Borough, Test Valley Borough, Winchester City Councils)
• Norfolk
• Oxfordshire
• Southampton
• Suffolk
• Waverley Borough
• West Sussex

The following local authority areas will move to Tier 3: Very High:

• Bristol
• Cheshire East
• Cheshire West and Chester
• Gloucestershire
• Isle of Wight
• New Forest District
• North Somerset
• Northamptonshire
• Somerset
• Swindon
• Warrington

The following local authority areas will move from Tier 1: Medium to Tier 2: High:

• Cornwall
• Herefordshire