Thread by @charlescholland, (1) Tier 4 Guidance now outhttps://www.gov.uk/guidance/tier-4-stay-at-home (2) This is just the guidance [...]

(1) Tier 4 Guidance now out https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tier-4-stay-at-home

What you can and cannot do in areas with a very rapidly rising level of infections, where tighter restrictions are in place from 20 December.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tier-4-stay-at-home

(2) This is just the guidance - it comes out first because it's significantly easier to draft guidance (which can be broad in its language) than regulations (which need - in theory at least - to be tightly drafted as breaching regulations has criminal consequences).

(3) Guidance will however be a good indication of what is in store in the regulations

(4) Rules come into force on Sunday - notable that there isn't a time given - suspect it will be a job to get the regulations done in time given that there are going to be restrictions on movement (not currently in the All Tiers Regulations)

(5) So yes it's going to be a stay at home obligation for those living in Tier 4, with a wide "reasonable excuse" exception - this is as per the Lockdown 2.0 regs

(6) Examples of "reasonable excuse" for leaving the home look like they've mostly been cut and pasted from the Lockdown 2.0 guidance

(7) Leaving home to participate in communal worship now a reasonable excuse (unlike Lockdown 2.0)

(8) Then there are restrictions on gatherings, again they seem to be lifted from Lockdown 2.0 with the same exceptions about v young children not counting

(9) As with Lockdown 2.0, the gathering restrictions are subject to *specific* exemptions rather than the wider "reasonable excuse"

(10) Now, here's an interesting one - travel bans - will there actually be travel bans or is this just guidance overselling what will be restrictions on movement? We'll only know when the actual regulations come out. Here's what the *guidance* has to say about travel *within* T4

(11) And travel *out* of Tier 4 - my gut (nothing else) is telling me that this is simply the guidance's take on the restriction on movement restriction (i.e. not to leave home w/o reasonable excuse) but we'll need to wait and see what the regulations say.

(12) Travel *into* Tier 4 - the guidance uses the important word "should" rather than "must" - suspect this is going to be advice rather than law for residents of Tiers 1-3 (but only time will tell).

(13) International travel - again, the word *should* rather than *must* - I think what we are looking at is repeat of Lockdown 2.0 where law is that residents can't leave home without a reasonable excuse and the guidance translates that into advising against international travel

(14) Domestic holidays - the guidance suggests T4 residents now holidaying out of T4 *should* (not must) "return home as soon as practical [sic]" (I think they meant "practicable")

(15) Right, on it goes... business closure... some grim reading here I'm afraid. Basically here comes the new Lockdown (same as the old Lockdown).

(16) And the lucky businesses which can remain open. Including Christmas Tree retailers.

(17) Guidance has the following to say about public services

(18) Going to work

(19) Schools, colleges and universities to stay open.

(20) "Uni"

(21) "Skool"

(22) Childcare

(23) Very sad news for care home visits

(24) Weddings and funerals

(25) Places of worship

(26) Sport & physical activity

(27) Finally (1), moving home. Interesting test of "absolutely necessary"

(28) Then there are consequential amendments to the Tiers 1-3 guidance, but so far to rather pernickety stuff like this (from the Tier 3 guidance as now is) https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tier-3-very-high-alert

(29) And then of course the Christmas Bubble legislative daymare. Look at the state of this https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/making-a-christmas-bubble-with-friends-and-family/making-a-christmas-bubble-with-friends-and-family

(30) Here's the Downing Street statement https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-announces-tier-4-stay-at-home-alert-level-in-response-to-new-covid-variant

Prime Minister announces Tier 4: 'Stay At Home' Alert Level in response to new COVID variant

The Prime Minister has announced tougher restrictions for parts of England with a new Tier 4: ‘Stay at Home’ alert level.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-announces-tier-4-stay-at-home-alert-level-in-response-to-new-covid-variant

(31) Are you local?

(32) Updated guidance on visiting care homes https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visiting-care-homes-during-coronavirus

Visiting arrangements in care homes

Sets out how care homes can support families and visitors to visit residents from 2 December.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visiting-care-homes-during-coronavirus

(33) A chart on T4

(34) So in summary, Tier 4 essentially is the new lockdown (same as the old lockdown), with I think only communal worship as the difference (now allowed). Travel in and out of Tier 4 I suspect won't be the subject of specific laws, but rather guidance...

(35) ... flowing from the restrictions on movement (not to leave the home without reasonable excuse)

(36) The whole Christmas Bubble exception, byzantine in is drafting and mildly bonkers in terms of its legislative expectation that the whole country would travel at the same time is now just more bonkers - everyone in T1-3 moving on one day?

(37) A plea to common-sense and responsibility might be more effective, some might say, than laws that only @AdamWagner1 understands and which are unenforceable anyway (no powers of entry, no police interest in doing so)

(38) I think it's predictable that some police forces will now start seeking to enforce what I suspect will only be advisory guidance - really have to wait for the regs though and even though this is a cut and paste of Lockdown 2.0 it's going to be a drafting nightmare

(39) The regs when they come out will be posted here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/

(40) It's been helpfully pointed out that other differences between Lockdown 2.0 and Tier 4 is that golf courses, outdoor gyms, pools, sports courts and facilities, outdoor riding centres can stay open in Tier 4.

(41) And also helpfully pointed out that the guidance on holidaying is for people holidaying *in* Tier 4 - no guidance as yet on what Tier 4 residents currently holidaying out of Tier 4 should do.

(42) I've deleted the offending tweet - here's what the guidance says on holidays - if you are holidaying *in* Tier 4, go home "as soon as is practical" [sic]. Guidance doesn't say anything on what residents of Tier 4 should do if they are fortunate enough to be on hols in T1-3