Face coverings are compulsory in England shops from today: Here’s what you need to know
From 24 July, people will be required to cover their nose and mouth whenever they enter shops and supermarkets - and may be refused entry if they do not comply.
As of today, face coverings are required in all shops and supermarkets in England.
From 24 July, people will be required to cover their nose and mouth in particular public places.
These locations include all stores and supermarkets – as well as takeaways and any other outlet where you will not be sitting down to eat (such as sandwich shops).
The use of masks has been the subject of intense debate since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, although figures show that more Brits are now wearing them than ever before.
So, what has changed? And what does this mean for shoppers? This is what you need to know.
There has been a steady rise in the use of the face coverings since the beginning of the pandemic.
Research conducted in April showed that less than 8% of people always covered their nose and mouth when they left their homes.
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However, over the course of subsequent months, mask usage increased.
Data collected in June revealed that almost 20% of Brits now never left the house without one.
Whilst more people are becoming increasingly convinced by the benefits of wearing masks indoors, the upturn in use is also partly down to new laws.
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Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made masks compulsory on Scottish public transport in June and in shops earlier this month.
Face coverings became mandatory on trains, buses and trams in England on 15 June.
Now, the rules have been extended to supermarkets, stores and shops selling food to takeaway.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the Government found face coverings instilled “confidence” in shoppers, offering “additional protection” when people are not able to keep 2 metres apart.
Who needs to wear a mask and who doesn’t?
The vast majority of people will be required to keep their nose and mouth covered in supermarkets and shops in England.
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However, the Government did highlight a small number of individuals who would be exempt from the rule.
Children under 11 and those with “certain disabilities”, for example, will not be required to wear masks.
You may not have to use face covering if you have legitimate reason, such as:
Not being able to put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability
If putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause you severe distress
If you are travelling with or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading to communicate
You are also permitted to remove your face covering if asked by shop staff for identification purposes (e.g. when purchasing alcohol) or to take medication.
Face coverings are widely available in shops, stores, supermarkets – so you may be able to ask a friend or family member who already owns a mask to purchase one for you.
They’re also sold online from a wide number of retailers. However, many people are choosing to make their own.
The Government has published a step-by-step guide to help you create a homemade mask here.
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Mandatory eye tests could be introduced for drivers over 70 in the UK
Emily Sergeant
Mandatory eye testing could be introduced in the UK as part of the first road safety strategy in more than a decade.
According to Government statistics, approximately four people die on Britain’s roads every day, with thousands more seriously injured each year, but through targeted action on speeding, drink and drug driving, not wearing seat belts, and mobile phone use, it’s expected that thousands of these tragedies can be prevented.
In fact, the new road safety strategy sets out an ‘ambitious’ plan to reduce deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by 65% before 2035.
With the number of older drivers continuing to rise year on year, in line with Britain’s ageing population, a consultation on mandatory eyesight testing for those over 70 will be launched, the Government has announced, while options for cognitive testing will also be developed to protect all road users.
Mandatory eye tests could be introduced for drivers over 70 in the UK / Credit: David Travis (via Unsplash)
On top of this, measures to tackle inexperience behind the wheel by introducing a minimum learning period for learner drivers, and lowering the alcohol limit for driving for the first time since 1976 to help prevent causes of collisions, are also to be discussed.
This strategy sets out a new approach to reverse a decade of ‘stalled progress’, according to the Department for Transport (DfT).
It includes the internationally recognised Safe System approach, which acknowledges that while human error is inevitable, deaths and serious injuries are not, and rather than placing responsibility solely on individual drivers, the system ensures that road design, vehicle safety, enforcement and education work together to protect all road users.
We've launched a new Road Safety Strategy, aiming to cut deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by 65% by 2035.
Key points include: – tougher action on drink driving – minimum learning periods for learner drivers – mandatory eye tests for older drivers
— Department for Transport (@transportgovuk) January 7, 2026
A new Road Safety Investigation Branch will be set up to analyse collision patterns and inform prevention strategies.
The branch will draw on linked police and healthcare data to identify root causes and make sure any interventions are more effectively targeted.
Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, described the strategy as a ‘turning point’, adding that: “We are taking decisive action to make our roads safer for everyone, from new drivers taking their first lessons to older motorists wanting to maintain their independence.
“The measures we are announcing today will save thousands of lives over the coming decade.
“Every life lost on our roads is a tragedy that devastates families and communities. For too long, progress on road safety has stalled.”
Featured Image – Andrea Piacquadio (via Pexels)
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How and where to recycle or donate your Christmas tree in Manchester | 2026
Emily Sergeant
The new year is here, and the ’12 days of Christmas’ are up… which means it’s time for a fresh start.
Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve both feel like things of the past now, and for most of us, this is our first proper week back at work too, which means (if you haven’t already) it’s time to tackle the task of taking down and putting away all the festive decorations – even if it is one of the dullest times of the year and it signals that the magic of Christmas is over.
For those of us that opt for a real Christmas tree though, the end of the year always brings one question – now what do we do with it?
Manchester City Council has aimed to answer that very question by providing residents with a handful of different ways to recycle their Christmas trees to make sure they’re put to good use and don’t go to waste or get dumped.
Here’s the different options.
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Recycle it in your food and garden waste bin
You can recycle your Christmas tree by cutting it up and placing it in your food and garden waste bin, but you’ll need to make sure you take the following steps before doing so.
Remove all decorations and fairy lights
Take off the base or wooden block if your tree has one
Make sure the trunk is not thicker than your wrist. Wood thicker than your wrist is too big and can’t be put in the garden and food bin. Large trunks and wooden bases can be taken to a recycling centre.
Donate it to charity
Did you know you can donate your Christmas trees to charity? That’s right – for residents living in Manchester, all you’ll need to do is register your tree with national charity JustHelping, along with a donation towards the collection, and you can help a local hospice or charitable cause in the city-region.
The money raised will go to good causes in the area, including Moya Cole Hospice (previously St Anne’s Hospice), Francis House, and We Love Manchester.
You can find more information and register your tree here.
It’s time to take down and recycle our Christmas trees for another year / Credit: Myriam Olmz | Tanbir Mahmud (via Unsplash)
Take it to a local drop-off point
You can drop your real tree throughout January at:
Angel Meadow Park (entrance Old Mount Street) – M4 4HA
Wythenshawe Park and Gardens Athletics Track – M23 0PH
Heaton Park (Middleton Road entrance) – M8 4NB
Boggart Hole Clough (near the Visitor Centre) – M9 7DH
Patchett Street, off Hyde Road in Ardwick – M12 4RY
Bring it to your local recycling centres
And finally, wherever you live in Manchester, you can take your real Christmas tree – and even your artificial tree that is beyond reuse – to your local recycling centre for free of charge, but it’s worth noting that if you’re planning on using a van, pick-up truck, or a twin-axle trailer to dispose of your tree, then you’ll probably need to apply for a permit.
You can find information about your nearest recycling centre here.
Are you elsewhere in Greater Manchester? Recycle for Greater Manchester (R4GM) has teamed up with local councils and charities across the region to provide Greater Manchester residents in all 10 boroughs with several different options for either recycling or donate their old Christmas trees.
The Manc -
23rd July 2020 
