Single parents and people living alone can stay at other households from Saturday

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced this evening that single parents and adults living alone can form a “support bubble” from Saturday.

This will allow them to spend time within and stay overnight at other households.

The change is part of the government’s plan to relax lockdown restrictions, is said to be aiming to help combat loneliness between single occupant households and that people are being trusted to observe the rules.

Speaking at the live Downing Street press conference, the Prime Minister said: “All those in a support bubble will be able to act as if they live in the same household, meaning they can spend time together inside each others’ homes and do not need to stay two metres apart”

He added: “I want to stress that support bubbles must be exclusive, meaning you can’t switch the household you are in a bubble with or connect with multiple households. If any member of the support bubble develops symptoms, all members of the bubble will need to follow the normal advice on household isolation.”

The relaxation does not apply to those shielding, single parents with children over 18 years of age and households in other UK nations.

He confirmed that this is “not designed for people who don’t qualify to start meeting inside because that remains against the law”.

More to follow.