COVID-19 restrictions in Kirklees

Businesses and venues which can open and those which must remain closed

When you visit permitted indoor locations

You must only visit them alone, with your household or your support bubble.

When you visit outdoor locations

You must only visit them:

• by yourself
• with the people you live with
• with your support bubble
• in a childcare bubble where providing childcare
• in a group of up to 6 people, or people from two households.

You must only visit them alone, in a group of up to 6 people or with your household or your support bubble.

When you can meet in larger groups

• For work
• To provide voluntary or charitable services, where it is unreasonable to do so from home
• In a childcare bubble (for the purposes of childcare only)
• For registered childcare, or for supervised activities for children where this enables a parent to work, seek work, attend education or training, or for respite care
• For formal education or training
• For arrangements where children do not live in the same household as both their parents or guardians
• To allow contact between birth parents and children in care, and between siblings in care
• For prospective adopting parents to meet a child or children who may be placed with them
• To place or facilitate the placement of a child or children into care by social services
• For birth partners
• To provide emergency assistance, to avoid injury or illness, or to escape a risk of harm (including domestic abuse)
• To fulfil a legal obligation, such as attending court or jury service
• For gatherings within criminal justice accommodation or immigration detention centres
• To provide care or assistance to someone vulnerable, or to provide respite for a carer
• For funerals. Up to 30 people can attend. Up to 6 people can attend wakes and other linked ceremonial events
• To visit someone at home who is dying
• To visit someone receiving treatment in a hospital, hospice or care home
• To accompany a family member or friend to a medical appointment
• For elite sportspeople (and their coaches if necessary, or parents or guardians if they are under 18) to compete and train
• To facilitate a house move.

Support bubbles and childcare bubbles

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.

A childcare bubble allows friends or family from one other household to provide informal childcare.

Making a support bubble with another household

Making a childcare bubble with another household

Support groups

Support groups that have to be delivered in person can meet. Up to 15 participants are allowed. Under-5s do not count towards the 15 person limit.

• They must be formally organised groups
• They can provide mutual aid, therapy or any other form of support, where they have to take place in person
• They can't meet in private houses
• They may meet in community centres

When deciding whether to run a face-to-face support group you must consider:

• Can you meet your outcomes or deliver your service or activities online? This remains the safest way to operate services and classes.
• If you can't deliver online - can you run some, or all of your activities, outside?
• Is it necessary that you meet face to face during this time?

If you open, you must also consider:

• Take all the usual precautions like social distancing, hand washing or sanitising and wearing face coverings.
• It is not advisable to share equipment of any kind.
• You must not provide or sell communal refreshments - although people can bring their own.
• Cafe facilities must remain closed or offer outdoor food and drink only.

Please remember, reducing social contact with people from outside of our households and support bubbles is key to protecting ourselves, our loved ones and the wider community.

Travel

Keep travel to a minimum to protect the NHS and save lives.

Avoid car sharing with anyone from outside your household or your support bubble.

• Reduce the number of journeys you make.
• Avoid making unnecessary stops during your journey.
• Plan ahead and avoid busy times and routes on public transport, and walk or cycle where possible.
• Do not go to test and trace centres by public transport or taxi. Get a home test instead.
• Do not travel if you are self-isolating.

Overnight stays

You can travel for overnight stays in self-catering lets, caravans and at campsites.

• These must only be used by members of the same household or support bubble.

You are allowed to stay overnight in other venues away from your home if you:

• Are visiting your support bubble.
• Are unable to return to your main residence.
• Need accommodation while moving house.
• Need accommodation to attend a funeral or related commemorative event.
• Need accommodation for work or to provide voluntary services.
• Are a child who needs accommodation for school or care.
• Are homeless, seeking asylum or a vulnerable person seeking refuge.
• Are an elite athlete or their support staff, and it is necessary to be outside of the home for training or competition.
• If you are the parent of an athlete under 18, and it is necessary to be outside of the home for training or competition.

Travelling abroad

Holidays abroad are illegal.

You can only travel abroad if you have a legally permitted reason.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advice:

Foreign travel advice

Coronavirus (COVID-19): travel corridors

Care homes

Care home residents are allowed two regular named visitors indoors.

• Visits are by appointment only.
• Visitors have to follow strict infection prevention control procedures before and after they enter the care home.
• A test will be required before entry.
• PPE will be provided.
• Babies and toddlers will be able to accompany visitors.
• Visitors will be allowed to hold hands.
• The council's two dementia homes, Claremont House and Castle Grange, have installed Wellbeing Pods which provide a Covid-safe space for up to two visitors to meet a relative.

Please contact the care home you would like to visit to make arrangements.

No visits will be permitted if there is an outbreak in the home.

Moving home

You can move home.

• People outside your household or support bubble should not help with moving house unless absolutely necessary.
• Estate and letting agents and removals firms can continue to work.
• If you are looking to move, you can go to property viewings.

National guidance on moving home safely

Work

Work from home if you can do.

• You can only leave home to work if it is unreasonable for you to do your job from home
• Public sector employees working in essential services, including education settings, should continue to go into work where necessary
• If it is necessary for to work in other people's homes - for example, nannies, cleaners or tradespeople - you can do.

Schools and colleges

Colleges, primary and secondary schools are open.

• Outdoor after-school sports and activities are allowed.
• Secondary school students are required to wear masks in class and communal areas.

Supporting your children's education during coronavirus (COVID-19)

Get help with technology

Out-of-school settings

Activities including tuition, faith groups, holiday clubs, dance classes and uniformed groups can take place.

All children may attend an out-of-school setting for any reason.

Indoor settings

If you normally run sessions indoors, consider whether you can run them safely outside instead, as the risk of transmission is lower outdoors.

• Mixing between children should be minimised as far as possible.
• Consider whether children can be kept in the same bubble as they are in during the school day.
• Where that can't be done, you should keep children in small groups of no more than 15 and at least one staff member.

More information:

Protective measures for out-of-school settings

Guidance for parents and carers of children attending out-of-school settings

Universities

Students on the courses below should return to face to face learning as planned.

You should be tested twice, upon arrival or self-isolate for ten days.

You can meet in groups as part of your formal education or training, where necessary.

You should socially distance from anyone you do not live with wherever possible.

Courses which should return to face to face learning:

• Medicine and dentistry
• Subjects related to medicine and health
• Veterinary science
• Education (initial teacher training)
• Social work
• Courses which require Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB) assessments and or mandatory activity which is scheduled for January and cannot be rescheduled (your university will notify you if this applies to you).

If you live at university, you should not move back and forward between your permanent home and student home during term time.

Parent and child groups

Indoor and outdoor parent and child groups are permitted with up to 15 parents.

• They must be for the benefit of children aged under 5.
• Children under 5 and people working as part of the group are not counted in the 15 person limit.
• They must be organised by a business, charity or public body. This includes groups that are primarily focused on social and developmental activities (such as art classes).
• They must not take place in private gardens or homes, or in venues that are otherwise required to close.

Support groups for parents, carers, or their children

• Support groups which have to be delivered in person and provide things like breastfeeding, postnatal, and baby and toddler support may continue to meet indoors.
• They must follow the same rules as other support groups.

Childcare

Parents and carers can continue to access childcare.

• Early years settings (including nurseries and childminders) remain open
• Vulnerable children and children of critical workers can continue to use registered childcare, childminders and other childcare activities (including wraparound care)
• Parents can form a childcare bubble with one other household for informal childcare of children under 14. This is mainly to enable parents to work, and must not be used to enable social contact between adults
• Some households will also be able to benefit from being in a support bubble
• Nannies can continue to provide services, including in the home
• You can continue existing arrangements for contact between parents and children where you live apart. This includes childcare bubbles.

More information:

Education and childcare

Places of worship and religious ceremonies

Communal worship is allowed as long as social distancing is observed. You must not attend with or socialise with anyone outside of your household or support bubble while you are there, unless a legal exemption applies.

You can attend or visit a place of worship for:

• communal worship
• a funeral
• an event related to a death
• going to a a burial ground or remembrance garden
• a wedding ceremony.

You must not mingle with anyone outside of your household or support bubble.

Weddings, funerals and religious, belief-based or commemorative events linked to someone's death are all subject to limits on the numbers that can attend.

Exemptions

• Formal childcare
• Essential voluntary and public services, such as blood donation or food banks
• Other exempted activities such as some support groups and parent and child groups.

Weddings, civil partnerships and funerals

• Up to 15 people can attend weddings and civil partnerships.
• Our Register Office ceremony rooms are restricted to 6 guests only.
• More information: Weddings and ceremonies
• Outdoor wedding receptions are allowed for up to 15 people.
• Up to 30 people are allowed to attend a funeral.
• If you select a burial service, we can currently allow 30 mourners at the graveside.
• We can allow up to 12 mourners in Dewsbury and 16 mourners in Huddersfield to sit inside the chapel.
  • More information: Changes to bereavement services as a result of COVID-19
• Up to 15 people can attend linked commemorative events like a wake or stone-setting.
• People working at these ceremonies or events are not included in the maximum group size.

Outdoor sport event

Outdoor sports facilities

Organised outdoor sport can begin again.

This includes sports like football, rugby and cricket which include a large number of participants, provided that appropriate steps are taken to make each event COVID-secure.

A COVID risk assessment in line with the National Governing Body guidance must be in place.

• Indoor facilities, such as changing rooms, should not be used.
• Toilet facilities can be accessed.
• Spectators are not allowed except for safeguarding purposes, where they should be limited to 1 parent or carer per child
• Spectators must be socially distant and follow the rule of 6.

What to do if you were shielding or are vulnerable

You are no longer advised to shield.

It is still recommended that you take extra precautions to protect yourself:

• limit the amount of times you meet other people
• reduce the amount of time you spend in places where you can't maintain social distancing

Continue to work from home if possible, but if you cannot work from home you should go to your workplace.

• You may still be eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (furlough) and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). Both have been extended until 30 September.
• You will no longer be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) on the basis of being advised to shield.

Clinically extremely vulnerable pupils and students should return to their school or other educational setting.

Next steps towards easing lockdown