Another Lockdown: What Are The Rules Now?

Following the announcement of another lockdown in England (4th January 2020), FLiP Director James Pirrie explains the rules about support bubbles, childcare bubbles and exceptions for separated parents. 

Support Bubbles

What and who can use it?

If you are:

• an adult alone in one household;
• a couple with a child under one as at 2.12.20 (or with a child under 5 at that date with a disability who requires continuous care);
• a sole adult with children under 18 as at 12.06.20; or
• aged 16 or 17 and live with others of that age and without adults….

What you get to do?

You can form, in effect, a bubble with another household of any size (but see in italics below)

Remember:

• To keep your bubble local;
• The household you are forming your bubble with, can’t be in a bubble with anyone else.

If you want to change the household you have formed your bubble with, the new household must meet the criteria listed in the first section. 

Childcare bubbles

What and who can use it?

You can also form a childcare bubble if your kids are under 14.

What you get to do?

This means that you can link with one other household to provide informal childcare to those under 14 (including overnight stays).

Remember:

• You can only do this if every adult in both households agrees;
• You must keep it local;
• This is not a social free-for-all: it is only so your kids can have child care (or so you can give child-care);
• You can’t mix childcare and support bubbles at the same time;
• After 2^nd Dec, if you want to change this childcare bubble, the new bubble must have a child under 14 and neither household can have another childcare bubble

Separated parents exception 

What and who can use it?

On top of this, if you “share custody” of a child under 18….

What you get to do?

Your child can move between the homes of the separated parents.