Context
Due to the high and rising infection rate in Leeds and nationally, the government has now introduced a three tier system of restrictions and advice to stop the spread of Covid-19. As with the previous local restrictions these are enforceable. With effect from 14 October 2020 Leeds and West Yorkshire are in Tier 2, is the High Risk Alert Level. Details on the new three-tier approach can be found here and are summarised as follows:
Areas with the lowest rates of infection will be placed in Tier One designated as Medium Risk. They will face the national restrictions currently in force including:
Pubs, bars and restaurants will have to close at 22:00 BST
The rule of six (number of people who can meet up) applies both indoors and outdoors Areas in Tier Two designated as High risk face additional level of restrictions as follows:
No mixing between different households indoors (anywhere)
Can meet people from different households outside subject to the rule of six this now includes private gardens Guidance advises to minimise non-essential travel and use of public transport
The highest level of restrictions are in Tier Three designated as Very High Risk. Areas where transmission is rising most rapidly will be placed in this category. Key restrictions in this highest tier could include:
Pubs and bars will be closed, except where serving substantial meals
Households cannot mix indoors or outdoors, other than in parks and other public outdoor spaces such as beaches
Gyms, leisure centres, betting shops and casinos will also close, subject to local consultation Shops, schools and universities will remain open
Wedding ceremonies with up to 15 people are permitted but receptions are not Guidance also advises against travel into or outside of the area except for certain purposes
Find your question quick:
[1] There appear to be only a few differences between the previous local restrictions for Leeds and the new High Risk Alert status, why has the Government changed this approach?
[2] Who do these restrictions apply to?
[3] Is there a summary available of the High Risk Alert (Tier-Two) Restrictions?
[4] Why is all of Leeds included and not just wards with the highest infection rates?
[5] When are these government restrictions applicable from?
[6] How long will these additional restrictions from government be applied to Leeds?
[7] How do the additional government restrictions affect me, my family and my friends?
[8] Are these additional restrictions law or advice?
[9] What are the exemptions for when people can still come inside your home or garden for specific purposes?
[10] What action can be taken against me?
[11] Can we mix households in other venues and places?
[12] What should I do if I am a business or organisation in Leeds?
[13] How is travel affected by the government restrictions for Leeds?
[14] Can I car share in Leeds given the additional government restrictions?
[15] What about people coming to Leeds on holiday?
[16] What if I was shielding because I am classed as clinically extremely vulnerable?
[17] Should children who are clinically extremely vulnerable (the shielding group) attend school in Leeds?
[18] Can I play team sport and do physical activity or dance?
[19] How are weddings and funerals affected by the new Covid alert system?
[20] What about religious ceremonies and places of worship?
[21] Can I go to work?
[22] Can I move house given that Leeds is in a high Covid alert area?
[23] How is childcare affected by the additional government restrictions for Leeds?
[24] Are there any additional implications for schools and colleges?
[25] How do these new government restrictions for Leeds affect going to school, college and university?
[26] How do the government’s social contact restrictions affect students?
[27] Is there a possibility that university students may be unable to return home for the Christmas holidays?
[28] Can people still go on holiday, either within the U.K. or abroad?
[29] Can community volunteer groups (such as food banks, community litter picks) including garden makeovers and helping people who have a disabilities and/or older residents, still continue?
[30] How do I report a breach of the local or national restrictions to the Police?
[31] Can local support/charitable groups still go ahead?
[32] What are the different bubbles and how do they work in practice?
[33] Can I visit a friend of family member who is in a care home?
[34] Can I still provide support to an elderly or vulnerable friend or family member?
[35] I work from home, and welcome clients into my home as part of my job. Is this allowed?
[36] I go into other people’s homes as part of my job. Is this allowed?
[37] Will the new Covid-19 alert approach impact on council services?
[38] How many cases of Coronavirus are in Leeds?
[39] What is the situation with Council operated community centres in Leeds?
[40] What if I do not live with my spouse or partner and what is meant by an ‘established relationship’ as mentioned in the Government guidelines?
[41] Does the rule of 6 prevent performing arts events taking place?
[42] How are housing evictions impacted by the new High Risk Alert Status for Leeds?
[43] What is the situation with events?
[44] Are there any payments I am eligible for if I have to self-isolate?
[1] There appear to be only a few differences between the previous local restrictions for Leeds and the new High Risk Alert status, why has the Government changed this approach?
The government is committed to ensuring the right levels of intervention in the right places to manage outbreaks. Working with local authorities through the contain framework, the Government is trying to simplify their approach meaning that there are now 3 local COVID alert levels each having different sets of restrictions. More detail, including what restriction apply in the three tiers, can be found at the GOV.UK website here.
[2] Who do these restrictions apply to?
The “high level” of alert applies to the whole city and the wider West Yorkshire sub-region. This means that all of West Yorkshire is classed as having a ‘high’ local Covid alert level. Full details on the High Risk Alert restrictions can be found here.
[3] Is there a summary available of the High Risk Alert (Tier-Two) Restrictions?
A summary of the restrictions affecting people living in an area classed as having a High Covid Alert Level is as follows:
On top of restrictions in alert level medium:
you must not socialise with anybody outside of your household or support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place
you must not socialise in a group of more than 6 outside, including in a garden or other spaces like beaches or parks (other than where specific exemptions apply in law)
businesses and venues can continue to operate, in a COVID-secure manner, other than those that remain closed in law
certain businesses are required to provide table service only and ensure customers only consume food and drink while seated, and must close between 10pm and 5am
businesses and venues selling food for consumption off the premises can continue to do so after 10pm as long as this is through delivery service, click-and-collect or drive-through, customers should remain in their cars at all times
schools, universities and places of worship remain open
weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on the number of attendees exercise classes and organised sport can continue to take place outdoors. These will only be permitted indoors if it is possible for people to avoid mixing with people they do not live with or share a support bubble with, or for youth or disability sport
you can continue to travel to venues or amenities that are open, for work or to access education, but government guidance advises you should look to reduce the number of journeys you make where possible You must:
-- You should continue to follow social distancing rules work from home where you can effectively do so
-- walk or cycle where possible, or plan ahead and avoid busy times and routes on public transport
Please follow this link to find out more about the measures that apply in high alert level areas to help reduce the spread of COVID-19
The Government has produced a graphic or poster that may be useful in terms of summarising the new restrictions, this can be found here.
[4] Why is all of Leeds included and not just wards with the highest infection rates?
The current evidence shows that Covid-19 is present in all wards in the city and rising. Analysis of infection rates in different wards in the city over recent months reveals that the level of the virus is very dynamic, so it is therefore possible that a ward with a lower level of cases can quickly become one with higher levels. As at mid-October, most wards in the city have infection rates of more than 200 per 100,000. In essence things can change quickly and more localised restrictions would be even more confusing leading to less compliance. Additionally, with the announcement of the three-tier system on 12 October it is clear that the government is moving away from restrictions targeted below a local authority level and possibly moving towards a regional approach to classifying the Covid alert level.
[5] When are these government restrictions applicable from?
The new system of Covid alert levels came into force on 14 October 2020.
Information on what the new system means, why they are being introduced and what the different levels are can be found here.
[6] How long will these additional restrictions from government be applied to Leeds?
We monitor cases daily in Leeds to inform our local action, and weekly through our partnership arrangements. In addition the restrictions are reviewed monthly by government, depending on infection rates and other key indicators such as hospital admissions, but it is unlikely that they will be removed quickly.
[7] How do the additional government restrictions affect me, my family and my friends?
If you live in Leeds, in order to help prevent the spread of coronavirus it is illegal (other than exemptions) to:
host people you do not live with in your home, unless they’re in your support or childcare bubble
meet people you do not live with in their home, unless they’re in your support or childcare bubble
However you can meet other households, within the rule of six, outdoors including in domestic gardens and outdoor hospitality
Your household is defined as the people you live with and any support or childcare bubble. A support bubble is where a household with one adult joins with another household. Households within a bubble can still visit each other, stay overnight, and visit public places together.
Childcare support bubbles you may be able to link with one other household to form a childcare support bubble. You can form a childcare support bubble if you:
have a child who is 13 or under
need help with childcare
are not in another childcare support bubble
You can have one support bubble and one childcare support bubble.
[8] Are these additional restrictions law or advice?
For areas within an area of high alert household mixing within the home or anywhere indoors is now prohibited by law and enforceable, apart from the exemptions listed below in Question 9.
[9] What are the exemptions for when people can still come inside your home or garden for specific purposes?
These are set out as follows:
where everyone in the gathering lives together or is in the same support bubble
to attend a birth at the mother’s request
to visit a person who is dying (the visitor can be someone the dying person lives with, a close family member, friend or, if none of those is visiting, anyone else)
to fulfil a legal obligation
for the purposes of education or training
for the purposes of childcare provided by a registered provider and informal childcare as part of a childcare bubble
to provide emergency assistance
to enable one or more persons in the gathering to avoid injury or illness or to escape a risk of harm
to facilitate a house move
to provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person
to continue existing arrangements for access to, and contact between, parents and children where the children are under 18 and do not live in the same household as their parents, or one of their parents
[10] What action can be taken against me?
The police will be able to take action against those that break these rules, including asking people to disperse and issuing fixed penalty notices starting at £200 for those who participate in illegal gatherings. People aged 18 or over can be fined:
£200 for the first offence, lowered to £100 if paid within 14 days
£400 for the second offence, then doubling for each further offence up to a maximum of £6,400
[11] Can we mix households in other venues and places?
If you live in Leeds, it is now law that that you should not:
Socialise with people you do not live with, unless they’re in your support bubble, inside any public venue. Examples of public venues include pubs, restaurants, cafes, shops, places of worship, community centres, leisure and entertainment venues,
[12] What should I do if I am a business or organisation in Leeds?
If you operate a business or organise events within the affected areas you should take steps to ensure people do not socialise with people they do not live with, in line with COVID-19 secure guidance. These are:
certain businesses selling food or drink on their premises are required to close between 10pm and 5am. Businesses and venues selling food for consumption off the premises, can continue to do so after 10pm as long as this is through delivery service, click-and-collect or drive-through (customers should remain in their vehicles at all times).
Orders must be made via phone, online or by post. Hospitality venues in ports, on transport services and in motorway service areas do not need to close at 10pm, but must not serve alcohol after that time. There is full guidance on what businesses are permitted to remain open
businesses must ensure that they operate in a COVID-secure manner, including restrictions on table service and group bookings
certain businesses and venues are required to collect customer, visitor, and staff data to support NHS Test and Trace and display the NHS QR Code
businesses must ensure that if their workers are required to self-isolate, they do not work outside their designated place of self-isolation businesses and venues must ensure people do not meet in their premises with people from outside of their household or support bubble
businesses and venues that fail to comply with these restrictions may face fines of up to £10,000, prosecution, or in some cases closure. See full guidance on which businesses and venues are permitted to be open where the local COVID alert level is high.
[13] How is travel affected by the government restrictions for Leeds?
You may continue to travel to venues or amenities which are open, for work, voluntary, charitable or youth services, or to access education, within a high alert level area, but government advice is that you should aim to reduce the number of journeys you make where possible. If you need to travel we encourage you to walk or cycle where possible, or to plan ahead and avoid busy times and routes on public transport. This will allow you to practise social distancing while you travel.
You can still travel within high alert level areas to hotels and other guest accommodation, but you should only do this with people in your household or support bubble.
You can still go on holiday outside of high alert level areas, but you must only do this with people in your household or support bubble.
When travelling, it is important that you respect the rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and do not travel to different parts of the UK where your intended activities there would be prohibited by legislation passed by the relevant devolved administration. You should also avoid travelling to any part of the country subject to higher local COVID alert levels.
[14] Can I car share in Leeds given the additional government restrictions?
It is difficult to socially distance during car journeys and transmission of coronavirus can occur in this context. So you should avoid travelling with someone from outside your household or your support bubble unless you can practise social distancing and you must ensure you keep all windows open. See the guidance on car sharing.
[15] What about people coming to Leeds on holiday?
It is also advised that people should not travel to an area that is subject to a higher Covid alert level than where they live. Leeds is a High Alert area area so those in Medium Alert areas are advised not to travel to Leeds or West Yorkshire.
[16] What if I was shielding because I am classed as clinically extremely vulnerable?
If you are clinically extremely vulnerable, the government are not currently advising that you need to shield at home. However, a small number of people who are undergoing active treatment – such as chemotherapy or a recent organ transplant – may be advised individually to shield by their medical team.
All people who are clinically vulnerable are strongly advised to take precautions to prevent infection, including limiting the number of overall contacts you make every day from outside the home and working from home where possible. People in this group are also advised to take additional precautions if you live with someone who comes in to contact with a large number of people – such as through attending school, using public transport, in a work place or socialising. This includes that person washing their hands and changing their clothes when they re-enter the home. If you are clinically vulnerable you:
can go outside as much as you like but you should still try to keep your overall social interactions low
can visit businesses, such as supermarkets, pubs and shops, whilst keeping 2 metres away from others wherever possible or 1 metre plus other precautions
should continue to wash your hands carefully and more frequently than usual and maintain thorough cleaning of frequently touched areas in your home and/or workspace
Updated advice, taking account of the new Covid alert system is available here and the NHS will be writing out to people in the shielding group in the next few days to explain this further.
[17] Should children who are clinically extremely vulnerable (the shielding group) attend school in Leeds?
Yes, but any child who is on the national shielded patient list should have a risk assessment in place for attending school. For most children who are clinically extremely vulnerable it is not deemed clinically necessary to shield at home at the moment and so should attend school – unless on the specific advice of their medical team. This usually applies if they are undergoing chemotherapy or have had a recent organ transplant.
All pupils and students should continue to attend education settings at all local COVID alert levels unless they are one of the very small number of pupils or students under paediatric care and have been advised by their GP or clinician not to attend an education setting.
If a parent/carer or child is worried about attending school because they are clinically extremely vulnerable, they are advised to discuss this with school and agree any additional measures.
[18] Can I play team sport and do physical activity or dance?
In line with guidelines from national sporting bodies, you can take part in sport and physical activity outdoors.
Organised indoor exercise classes are only permitted if it is possible for people to avoid mixing in with people you do not live with (or share a support bubble with). There are exceptions to enable disability and youth sport and physical activity indoors, in any number. You should follow the guidance on:
the return of recreational team sport
the return of outdoor sport and recreation in England
Who can organise them these activities must be organised by a:
national governing body
club
registered instructor or coach business or charity
They can also take place if they involve someone who has an official licence to use equipment relevant to the activity.
The organiser must carry out a risk assessment and follow COVID-19 secure guidance. The organiser should make sure they are following the:
relevant governing body published guidance on how to do so safely.
You can find out which sports have published guidance on GOV.UK or by checking with the sport's governing body.
Example: Dance and exercise classes Organised dance and exercise classes can take place. If indoors only with members of your household (and support bubble) but if outdoors with no more than 6 people. Where more than 6 are present, you should be part of a separate group of no more than 6 and not mix with any other groups.
[19] How are weddings and funerals affected by the new Covid alert system?
Wedding and civil partnership ceremonies and receptions must only take place in COVIDsecure venues or in public outdoor spaces unless in exceptional circumstances. Weddings, civil partnership ceremonies and wedding receptions are restricted to 15 people. Receptions should be sit down meals to ensure people can keep their distance from each other, and mustn’t take place in private dwellings. The gathering organiser or manager must carry out a risk assessment and ensure they have taken all reasonable measures to limit the risk of transmission of the coronavirus taking into account the risk assessment and any guidance issued by the government which is relevant to the gathering.
Funerals must only take place in COVID-secure venues or in public outdoor spaces with up to 30 people in attendance. Wakes or linked ceremonial events (such as stone-settings) before or after the funeral are limited to 15 people and must not take place in private homes. Where food or drink is consumed, this should be in the form of a sit down meal. The gathering organiser or manager must carry out a risk assessment and ensure they have taken all reasonable measures to limit the risk of transmission of the coronavirus taking into account the risk assessment and any guidance issued by the government which is relevant to the gathering.
Anyone working at a wedding, civil partnership ceremony, reception, wake or funeral is not generally counted as part of the limit. Within these larger gatherings, people do not need to limit their interaction to groups of 6 or their own household, but social distancing should still be followed between people who do not live together or share a support bubble.
People living outside of a high alert level area can travel to this area to attend an event, but they must not meet with another household indoors.
The following guidance provides more detail: small marriages and civil partnerships and managing a funeral during the coronavirus pandemic.
[20] What about religious ceremonies and places of worship?
You can attend a regular service at a place of worship. However, you should not mix with people who are not in your household or support bubble. You should:
keep 2 metres apart from other people
wear a face covering
use hand sanitiser
Weddings, civil partnership ceremonies and funerals have their own restrictions. (See question 20 above). If possible, prayer or religious services should take place outdoors. More guidance is available here.
[21] Can I go to work?
To help contain the virus, office workers who can work effectively from home should do so over the winter. Where an employer, in consultation with their employee, judges an employee can carry out their normal duties from home they should do so. However, people living inside and outside of the affected areas can continue to travel in and out for work and workplaces must implement COVID-19 secure guidance.
Public sector employees working in essential services, including education settings, should continue to go into work where necessary. Anyone else who cannot work from home should go to their place of work. The risk of transmission can be substantially reduced if COVID-19 secure guidelines are followed closely. Extra consideration should be given to those people at higher risk. More detail on the guidance to work from home where possible can be found here. For more information on Covid-19 secure guidance for the workplace please follow this link.
Those classed as clinically extremely vulnerable can go to work as long as the workplace is COVID secure, but should carry on working from home wherever possible.
There is no limit to the group size when you are meeting or gathering for work purposes, but workplaces should be set up to meet the COVID-secure.
[22] Can I move house given that Leeds is in a high Covid alert area?
You can still move home if you’re in a high alert level area. Estate and letting agents and removals firms can continue to work and people looking to move home can continue to undertake viewings.
Follow the national guidance on moving home safely which includes advice on social distancing and wearing a face covering.
[23] How is childcare affected by the additional government restrictions for Leeds?
You can continue to use early years and childcare settings, including childminders and providers offering before or after school clubs or other out-of-school settings for children. You can also continue to employ nannies – see guidance on working safely in other people’s homes. The following people can provide childcare support in private homes and gardens:
Registered childcare providers, including nannies
People who are in your support bubble
People who are in your childcare support bubble friends or family who do not live with you and are not part of a support or childcare bubble must not visit your home to help with childcare.
A support bubble is where a lone adult household with one adult joins with another household (on an exclusive basis).
Childcare support bubbles you may be able to link with one other household to form a childcare support bubble. You can form a childcare support bubble if you:
have a child who is 13 or under
need help with childcare
are not in another childcare support bubble
You can have one support bubble and one childcare support bubble.
The government recommends that you form a support bubble or childcare support bubble with a household that lives locally wherever possible. This will help to prevent the virus spreading from an area where there might be a higher rate of infection. Children of parents who are separated can continue to move between households providing the child is under 18.
[24] Are there any additional implications for schools and colleges?
In education settings where pupils and students in Year 7 and above are educated, face coverings should be worn by staff, visitors and pupils/students when moving around in corridors and communal areas where social distancing is difficult to maintain. It is not necessary to wear face coverings in the classroom where protective measures already mean the risks are lower and they may inhibit teaching and learning.
You can find out more about the government’s approach to education and how schools have prepared. This is applicable in all the local COVID alert levels.
[25] How do these new government restrictions for Leeds affect going to school, college and university?
You can move home and travel to go to university but there are some stricter rules in place for areas in high alert level areas:
Students living at their university term time address in a high alert level area should follow the same guidance on meeting other people and travel as others in that area.
Commuter students (those who live at a family home and travel to/from university each day) should be able to continue to travel to/from their university as required, this being for education purposes.
If you move out of, or currently live outside of, an affected area you should not: host people you do not live with in your home or student halls if they live in a high alert level area (unless they’re in your household, support bubble or childcare bubble)
Government is also advising that you should not move backward and forward between your permanent home and term time address during term time.
[26] How do the government’s social contact restrictions affect students?
If you are a student living in Leeds, you must not meet people you do not live with inside your home or inside any other public venues (e.g. pubs, restaurants, and cinemas) unless they are in your support bubble, please see below to understand how this may affect you.
If you live in student halls, official accommodation or private rented accommodation in Leeds:
you must not meet people you do not live with anywhere inside either within Leeds or outside of Leeds unless they’re in your support bubble
you must not meet people outside in a group of more than 6
If you commute into an affected area to attend or work at a university:
you must not meet people in a group of more than 6 outdoors.
you must not meet people you do not live with in their home inside of the affected areas, unless they’re in your support bubble.
you must not host people you do not live with in your home, if they live in one of the affected areas, unless they’re in your support bubble
you should not meet people you do not live with in their student halls if the person lives in an affected area unless they’re in your support bubble
[27] Is there a possibility that university students may be unable to return home for the Christmas holidays?
Currently this is not known and will likely be determined nationally and dependent on infection rates, nearer the time. However, Leeds City Council would not support the idea of students having to stay in their university area for Christmas.
[28] Can people still go on holiday, either within the U.K. or abroad?
For foreign holidays please check the government’s website for travel guidance and the latest list of travel corridors.
You can still travel within high alert level areas to hotels and other guest accommodation, but you should only do this with people in your household or support bubble.
You can still go on holiday outside of high alert level areas, but you must only do this with people in your household or support bubble. You should also avoid travelling to any part of the country subject to higher local COVID alert levels.
[29] Can community volunteer groups (such as food banks, community litter picks) including garden makeovers and helping people who have a disabilities and/or older residents, still continue?
They are allowed to continue, providing people maintain strict social distancing, including with the residents they are helping. Government guidance can be found here.
[30] How do I report a breach of the local or national restrictions to the Police?
There are various methods to contact the Police, which can be done from the safety of your own home, including telephone, 101 live chat and online reporting. More details can be found here. Only dial 999 if it is an emergency.
[31] Can local support/charitable groups still go ahead?
This is a complex area and each case maybe slightly different. All cases should be judged against the clear intention of these restrictions being to limit contact, but whilst also trying to avoid a detrimental impact on broader wellbeing. If groups consider the rules allow them to go ahead, then take all additional precautions possible.
Any gathering of a support group must consist of no more than 15 people and should not take place in a private dwelling. Examples of support groups are those providing support:
to victims of crime (including domestic abuse)
to those with, or recovering from, addictions (including alcohol, narcotics or other substance addictions) or addictive patterns of behaviour; to new parents
to those with, or caring for persons with, any long-term illness or terminal condition or who are vulnerable
to those facing issues related to their sexuality or identity including those living as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender
to those who have suffered bereavement.
[32] What are the different bubbles and how do they work in practice?
A support bubble is where a lone adult household with one adult or one adult with a child or children under the age of 18 joins with another household (on an exclusive basis).
Childcare support bubbles You may be able to link with one other household to form a childcare support bubble. You can form a childcare support bubble if you:
have a child who is 13 or under
need help with informal childcare that can be provided by a second household, and
are not in another childcare support bubble
You can have one support bubble and one childcare support bubble.
A bubble in an education setting is specific and only applicable to that setting e.g. school, nursery etc. Given the aim of these restrictions is to limit contact, people should only be in one of each bubble.
[33] Can I visit a friend of family member who is in a care home?
It is not illegal to visit friends or family in a hospital, hospice or care home but you should check to see if they have any rules of their own before visiting.
You should not visit friends or family in a care home unless you have a very good reason to, for example to visit someone who is dying.
[34] Can I still provide support to an elderly or vulnerable friend or family member?
There is an exemption allowing visits to households to provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person.
[35] I work from home, and welcome clients into my home as part of my job. Is this allowed?
In most instances, yes, as long as strict Covid measures are in place. You should follow the advice as if your home is your business premises – if you are a close contact service such as hairdresser or beautician you should follow this government advice. If you operate another type of business such as being a financial advisor or psychotherapist select the most appropriate type from this government advice. The professional body relevant to your service may also be able to provide sector specific advice.
[36] I go into other people’s homes as part of my job. Is this allowed?
In most instances, yes, as long as strict Covid measures are in place, follow this government advice and consider if your employer/trade representative/trade associations has further specific advice.
[37] Will the new Covid alert approach impact on council services?
We are working through the implications of this, the most likely impact is on those venues with cafes. The website will be updated and we will keep you informed.
[38] How many cases of Coronavirus are in Leeds?
Information on the number of cases nationally can currently be accessed here. And for Leeds as a whole it can be found here. For a more detailed analysis the Middle Super Output Area (MSOA) map data can be found here.
[39] What is the situation with Council operated community centres in Leeds?
Leeds City Council Community Centres remain shut for general hirers. Most activities would not be appropriate under the current guidelines. A limited number of Leeds buildings are being used for work associated with the pandemic (food relief preparation for example) and for Childcare which is permitted with risk assessments and appropriate safeguards in place. We are happy to discuss particular circumstances with individual groups.
[40] What if I do not live with my spouse or partner and what is meant by an ‘established relationship’ as mentioned in the Government guidelines?
If you are in an established relationship and do not live together, you can only meet in a home if you are in a support bubble together.
If you are not in a support bubble, you can still meet outside including in your private garden and guidance suggests that you do not need to social distance with someone outside of your household or support bubble if you are in an established relationship with them.
[41] Does the rule of 6 prevent performing arts events taking place?
No. The rule of 6 doesn't prohibit performances. Performing arts events can take place if they adhere to the government guidance. As part of the guidance the audience - when seated or moving round the building - has to be in family/Bubble groups of a maximum of 6 and cannot mix with other households.
[42] How are housing evictions impacted by the new High Risk Alert Status for Leeds?
Leeds City Council suspended evictions at the start of lockdown and there are no plans to resume evictions at this point in time. More generally there were already arrangements in place to prevent evictions in areas where a local lockdown was in place and as far as we are aware the guidance announced on 12 October 2020 does not change this. Further guidance is likely to be issued in the next few days and any impact of that on evictions can be considered at that time.
[43] What is the situation with events?
Events are being dealt with on a case by case basis and considered by a group chaired by Martin Farrington with relevant Environmental health and Public health advice. Specific advice will follow about key events such as Halloween, Bonfire Night and Remembrance Sunday in the regular MP and elected member updates.
[44] Are there any payments I am eligible for if I have to self-isolate?
The government has launched a support scheme that local authorities are administering. Subject to eligibility, if you have been asked to self-isolate by the NHS Test and Trace service, you may be entitled to a support payment of £500. Full details are available on the Leeds City Council website here.
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