Summary of the new rules

The new rules come into effect immediately

Separate households are now banned from meeting indoors in Oldham, Greater Manchester, East Lancashire and parts of West Yorkshire after a rise in coronavirus cases.

But what does that mean in practical terms?

• All current Coronavirus restrictions remain in place
• Businesses and shops to remain open.
• No visitors to your home or garden, unless within your bubble.
• Pubs remain open but you must stay within your household or bubble
• Further openings planned for August have been put on hold.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said "households gathering and not abiding by the social distancing rules" was a reason for the decision, which had been taken in order to "keep the country safe".

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said there had been a "marked change" in the spread of the virus across the area.

"We have gone from a falling rate of cases in nearly all of our boroughs last week to a rising rate in nine out of ten affecting communities across a much wider geography," he said.

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