The UK government has confirmed that family members who test negative for coronavirus (COVID-19) can visit care homes in England from today.
It will allow “care home residents to be reunited with families by Christmas”.
Care home residents in all tiers of the government’s “tougher” three tier system will be able to see their families again, with over a million tests due to be sent out providers over the next month and the first visits to begin in the homes today (Wednesday 2nd November).
In a statement published to the gov.uk website, the government states: “A significant increase in testing capacity, paired with new testing technology, will allow friends and family to visit relatives in care homes if they receive a negative result prior to the visit”, and adds that the move is set to enable care homes to “safely maintain a balance between infection control and the vital benefits of visiting to the health and wellbeing of residents”.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the move was possible due to “unprecedented strides” in testing technology and capacity.
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Care home residents will be reunited with family by Christmas after a roll-out of rapid #COVID19 testing.
Over a million tests will be sent out to providers over the next month with visits to begin from Wednesday.
— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) December 1, 2020
Mr Hancock continued: “I know how difficult it has been for people in care homes and their families to be apart for so long.
“The separation has been painful but has protected residents and staff from this deadly virus, [so] I’m so pleased we are now able to help reunite families and more safely allow people to have meaningful contact with their loved ones by Christmas.
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“This news has been made possible by the unprecedented strides made in testing technology and capacity, as well as extra PPE supplies.”
In the new guidance for care home visits as published yesterday evening, the Department of Health and Social Care says the “default position” is now that visits should be enabled to go ahead in all tiers – unless there is an outbreak in the care home – and it has been confirmed that more than a million lateral flow tests have already been sent out to the 385 biggest care homes as the first tranche of a phased approach to make visits safer.
I know how difficult it has been for people in care homes & their families to be apart for so long.
I’m so pleased we're now able to help reunite families & more safely allow people to have meaningful contact with their loved ones by Christmas.https://t.co/oa1O6jM8a9
Each care home is responsible for setting the visiting policy in that home.
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Care homes will manage the number of visits that take place – which must be arranged in advance – with visitors urged to be mindful of the additional workload for the care home.
The Department of Health and Social Care adds that hand holding and hugging may be possible if other infection control measures are followed, but it stresses the importance of visitors wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) to help protect their loved ones.
An extra 46 million items of free PPE will be sent to CQC-registered care home providers through the government portal in addition to PPE already available.
Over 220 million items of PPE have been provided to adult care homes since April.
The number of tests kits being supplied has been modelled to allow up to two visitors per resident, visiting twice a week, but visitors will still be expected to follow infection prevention and control procedures, and should “minimise contact as much as possible” to reduce the risk of transmission.
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For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to official sources at gov.uk/coronavirus.
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Michelin-recommended rooftop restaurant Climat has closed its doors with immediate effect
Daisy Jackson
One of Manchester’s top-rated restaurants has announced its shock and immediate closure.
Climat, which is set way up high in Blackfriars House with staggering views of Manchester city centre, has said that the Michelin-recommended restaurant is now permanently closed.
In a heartbreaking statement, founder Christopher Laidler said that Climat is ‘yet another casualty of the times we’re living in’.
Laying out the brutal reality of running a hospitality business, Chris wrote about ‘rampant food inflation’, an ‘ever-increasing tax burden’, and ‘the persistent cost of living crisis’, describing it as a perfect storm against hospitality.
Then delving deeper into the numbers, he shared that Climat has faced an eye-watering £112,000 electricity bill for its first 13 months in business – that’s 400% more than they’d budgeted.
That was chased by a 33% increase in staff wages, then a jump in business rates from £12,000 a year to £38,000 a year.
Couple that with reduced footfall and it’s ‘spelling disaster for so many’.
Climat has closed its doors with immediate effectClimat has laid their finances bare in their closing statement
He wrote: “Whilst I wanted to highlight these reasons for closure, in the naive hope the Government will start to listen before it’s too late for others, I want to acknowledge the fantastic work of our team over the last 3.5 years.
“The closure does not do justice to their efforts and dedication. I’d also like extend a huge debt of gratitude to our guests for their support, enabling us to build a nationally recognised wine list – our raison d’être.”
Signing off, he said: “I wish everyone the very best of luck in these challenging times. Bye for now, Christopher.”
Climat opened in late 2022, with an impressive wine list and a beautiful restaurant space overlooking Manchester.
It didn’t take long before it was added to the Michelin Guide, which wrote: “An open kitchen is the focus of the room, with its aromas filling the air, and the concise fixed-price menu includes well-executed dishes such as halibut with spinach and sorrel velouté, where the ingredient quality shines through.
“Wine is a feature with one side of the room acting as a bar and the carefully curated list deftly mixing traditional and modern styles.”
Claire’s is closing down stores in the UK and Ireland with more than 1,300 jobs set to be lost
Danny Jones
In another hit to domestic shoppers, Claire’s Accessories is closing down en masse across the UK and Ireland after entering into administration once again.
Falling into an unfortunate financial status for the second time in less than a year, Claire’s will be shutting down all of their standalone stores across Britain, along with their IE branches.
A total of 154 stores will soon disappear, with more than a thousand people set to be put out of work.
Once a mainstay of British high streets up and down the country, the accessory shop known for all things jewellery, piercings and more has ceased trading effective immediately.
Announced at the start of the week and the end of the first full month of Q2, it was confirmed that Claire’s closed their final locations on Monday, 27 April.
With administrators, Kroll, appointed to wrap up business proceedings, an estimated 1,300 English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh workers have now lost their jobs.
Founded way back in 1961 over in the United States, Claire’s has operated across the Atlantic for more than three decades.
However, with various other contemporaries and cheaper online options having appeared over the years, they’ve struggled not just to remain profitable but to compete full stop.
They most recently filed for bankruptcy in the US this past August (2025), with their Belgian, Spanish, and Dutch divisions having already called it quits.
Manchester location(s) have changed a lot over time, but now they’re on the way out (Credit: Arndale)
For many, the outcome isn’t all that surprising, but it will nevertheless be a sad loss for many who have seen multiple generations visit these venues over the years.
The Manc -
2nd December 2020 
