Guidance on Spending Time Outdoors

NEW GUIDANCE ON SPENDING TIME OUTDOORS

• From today, people are allowed to spend more time outdoors
• They will be able to go to parks and beaches to sunbathe, have a picnic and go fishing
• Outdoor sports courts can reopen, including tennis and basketball courts as well as golf courses
• People will also be able to see one person from another household, as long as they follow social distance guidance
• This follows scientific advice that the risk of infection outside is significantly lower than inside
• All of the new regulations are subject to social distancing rules

From Wednesday 13 May people in England can spend more time outdoors and enjoy a wider range of activities for any length of time, subject to social distancing rules.

People and their households can relax in the park, sunbathe, go for a picnic and go fishing. They will also be able to spend time with one member of another household, one-on-one, as long as they adhere to strict social distancing guidelines at all times, staying two metres apart.

Outdoor sports facilities can reopen including outdoor tennis courts, golf clubs and basketball courts meaning that people can play a greater range of sport. Again, they will be able to do this alone, with their household or one other person, while adhering to social distancing. Guidance that said people could only go out to exercise once a day have also been removed.

People will also be able to travel further to enjoy their time outside, with no restrictions on how far they can go to get to the countryside, National Parks and beaches in England. The advice remains that everybody should continue to avoid public transport other than for essential journeys. Therefore, people should only make these journeys by cycling, walking or driving in a private vehicle. People also should check in advance of visiting places like National Parks and beaches to make sure they are prepared for visitors.

Today’s advice is strictly limited to spending time with your household or with one other person and is subject to social distancing rules. It remains the case that you cannot gather with more than one member of another household for example to play sports. You also cannot:

• Go on holiday
• Visit and stay overnight at a holiday home or second home
• Visit the homes of friends and family, unless it’s to help a vulnerable person, for medical reasons, or to take a child to another household with whom parental responsibilities are shared

More stringent enforcement measures for non-compliance with the new rules have also come into effect today.

Fines have been increased, and will now start at £100, which will be lowered to £50 if paid within 14 days. This will double on each further repeat offence up to £3,200.

This is vital to send a clear message to the small minority who break the law, and to safeguard the country’s recovery.

The police will continue to use common sense, discretion and experience when people are not following the guidelines. As we have throughout, we will engage, explain, encourage and only as a last resort consider enforcement by way of fixed penalty notice.