Rules on mask-wearing, social distancing and crowd limits will all be changed from July 19 – with England’s seven-month lockdown all but ending in two weeks’ time.
During a press conference on Monday evening (July 5), Boris Johnson confirmed that most of the remaining national COVID measures would be removed later this month – with evidence suggesting the vaccination programme has weakened the link between case numbers and hospitalisations.
From July 19, people will not be legally obliged to wear face coverings, but are advised to do so in busy spaces such as public transport.
The ‘1m +’ distancing guidance is also being removed.
Restaurant/pub customers will no longer have to sign in via QR codes and bar service will resume.
ADVERTISEMENT
Large events – including festivals – will be permitted to return in full, whilst the nightlife sector will also reopen.
“It will no longer be necessary for government to instruct people to work from home”
Boris Johnson says step four of easing Covid restrictions means there will also be “no Covid certificate required as a condition of entry to any venue or event”https://t.co/OA1zbFS9Iipic.twitter.com/JNTWQYskxG
Plans for changing isolation measures for fully vaccinated people and children will be discussed by the Health Secretary tomorrow (July 6), whilst the Transport Minister is due to give an update on international travel rules later this week.
ADVERTISEMENT
A final decision on these measures is set to be made on July 12.
The PM admitted the pandemic was “far from over”, but that if “we couldn’t open up in the coming weeks, when could we?”
COVID restrictions – including social distancing and face coverings – were originally due to be lifted back in June.
ADVERTISEMENT
However, a fresh surge in cases – attributed to the more infectious Delta strain of COVID-19 – forced the government to push back the final step on their roadmap out of lockdown.
On June 14, Johnson said a delay was necessary so that the NHS had extra time to “give crucial jabs into the arms [of those] who need them.”
The PM said the vaccine rollout has since proven “successful”, and the gap between first and second jabs for the under-40s will soon be shortened from 12 weeks to eight.
The body of woman who was found in the River Mersey last year has finally been identified.
Following what has been described as an ‘extensive investigation’ by Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) Major Incident Team to determine the identity of the body, which was sadly discovered in the river adjacent to Chorlton Water Park on 21 March 2024, the family of the victim has now been informed and supported by specialist officers.
The victim has been formally named as 38-year-old Laura Stanley, who was originally from Derbyshire but was living in Stockport.
After the body was discovered, and ‘exhaustive and determined’ investigation by GMP officers began to identify here, including detailed checks of both national and international databases.
The Major Incident Team (MIT) also closely worked in collaboration with specialist forensic service providers to create an anthropological profile, which eventually culminated in the creation of a facial reconstruction image.
Following several media appeals, a relative of Laura contacted officers and then a DNA match was confirmed through a familial link.
“Laura was a kind and gentle person with a great sense of fun and adventure,” Laura’s family said in a heartbreaking tribute to her.
“She was generous, thoughtful, caring and always keen to volunteer within the community. Laura was a proud and loving mum and she will be greatly missed by her girls and all of her friends and family who loved her dearly.”
The River Mersey, across from Chorlton Water Park, where Laura’s body was discovered / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
While Laura has now been identified, police say further investigations will take place to understand her last movements, the events that led to her death, and her discovery in the river.
Additionally, as is standard practice, GMP’s Professional Standards Directorate is also reviewing a previous missing report relating to Laura in the time before the discovery of her body, which will determine prior contact relating to Laura, and whether the appropriate measures were enacted.
#UPDATE | A woman who was discovered in the River Mersey last year has been identified following an extensive investigation by officers in GMP’s Major Incident Team.
Thank you to those of you who have shared our appeals over the last year.
Anyone who knew Laura and thinks they may be able to assist with the investigation is asked to contact police by calling 101, or by using the Live Chat Service at gmp.police.uk, quoting log number 1191 of 21 March 2024.
Alternatively, you can contact the Major Incident Team Syndicate 3 directly on 0161 856 9479, or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
More than 70,000 home buyers across England are estimated to have missed the stamp duty relief deadline.
This sadly means they’ll be required to fork out thousands of pounds extra.
In case you hadn’t heard, up until yesterday (31 March 2025), anyone who was moving and had bought a home in the past was not required to pay Stamp Duty Land Tax, better-known as just stamp duty, on the portion of the property price up to £250,000.
But from today (1 April), this threshold has now fallen back to £125,000, which unfortunately means that property purchasers are facing an extra £2,500 in moving costs, on average.
While the end of the stamp duty relief will mostly affect those Greater Manchester buyers who had already previously purchased properties, first time buyers are sadly not exempt from the deadline changes too, as their current stamp duty threshold of £425,000 has now fallen back to £300,000 as of today.
Person holding the keys to a new house in their hand / Credit: Maria Ziegler (via Unsplash)
Given that the average property price for a first time buyer-type home is currently around £227,965, according to Rightmove, the new £300,000 threshold may hit those purchasing properties in more expensive areas – particularly the South East.
A third of those estimated 70,000 home buyers who have missed the deadline are thought to be first time buyers.
Leading property platform Rightmove published an analysis in February into just how much of an impact the end of the stamp duty relief would have on home buyers, all while calling on the UK Government to announce a short extension to the deadline to help people in the middle of the property purchasing process avoid potentially thousands of pounds in extra moving costs.
But despite these calls from industry leaders, there was no extension to the deadline announced in the last week’s latest Spring Statement.
“It’s extremely disappointing that the Government has not used the Spring Statement as an opportunity to extend the impending stamp duty deadline for those currently going through the home-moving process,” commented Rightmove’s property expert Colleen Babcock.
“We estimate over 70,000 people are going to miss the deadline and complete in April instead, and a third of those are first time buyers.”
The Manc -
5th July 2021 
