Braintree district is now in Tier 4 (Stay at Home) level for coronavirus restrictions.
What are the Tier 4 (stay at home) rules?
You must stay at home, except for the reasons outlined by the Government. Read more on GOV.UK
All non-essential retail is closed, along with personal care services such as hairdressers and nail bars, and indoor entertainment venues.
Gyms and indoor leisure facilities are closed.
You should work from home unless you are unable to do so.
Do not mix indoors with anyone from outside of your household/bubble.
You can only meet one other person from another household/bubble, outdoors in a public place.
Christmas bubbles have been cancelled for Tier 4 areas and you cannot join a Christmas bubble in a lower tier area.
You can attend places of worship for a service. However, you must not mingle with anyone outside of your household or support bubble. You should follow the national guidance on the safe use of places of worship.
Weddings, civil partnership ceremonies and funerals must only take place in COVID-19 secure venues or in public outdoor spaces unless in exceptional circumstances. Funerals can be attended by a maximum of 30 people. Linked religious, belief-based or commemorative events, such as stone settings and ash scatterings can also continue with up to 6 people in attendance. Weddings and civil partnership ceremonies should not take place except in exceptional circumstances and are limited to 6 people.
Visits to care homes can take place with arrangements such as substantial screens, visiting pods, or behind windows. Close-contact indoor visits supported by testing, which are allowed in Tiers 1-3, will not be allowed in Tier 4.
Community centres and halls must close except for a limited number of exempt activities: the provision of essential voluntary activities or urgent public support services (including the provision of food banks or other support for the homeless or vulnerable people, blood donation sessions or support in an emergency), education or training, support groups, childcare provided by a person who is registered under Part 3 of the Childcare Act 2006, or supervised activities for children, weddings, funerals and commemorative events to celebrate the life of a person who has died.
Please contact covidenquiries@braintree.gov.uk if you would like clarification on the regulations. The new rules do not affect support bubbles or the exemptions in place to allow children from separated parents to travel between two homes.
We have received a number of enquiries about whether people can visit other tiers to shop. The advice is that people can leave home to buy goods at shops which are permitted to open within the Tier 4 area, but should stay local and avoid travelling outside of their village or town wherever possible. People can only leave the Tier 4 area for legally permitted reasons such as travelling to work if they cannot work from home, education or caring responsibilities, visiting a support bubble or attending hospital, GP or other medical appointments.The Braintree district, along with the majority of Essex, London and the South East moved into Tier 4 (Stay at Home) restrictions from 00.01 yesterday (Sunday 20 December). The neighbouring unitary councils of Southend on Sea and Thurrock are also in Tier 4.
Colchester, Uttlesford and Tendring remain in Tier 2.
Useful links
Read the full Tier 4 (Stay at home) restrictions
Download the Tier 4 poster and social media assets to use
Use postcode checker to find out what rules are in your local area
Latest COVID-19 data
Read more from Essex County CouncilEnquiries
If you have any questions regarding the new tier 4 restrictions, you can email our team at covidenquiries@braintree.gov.uk.
Mental health support
We know that this weekend's announcement will be difficult for many.
We are encouraging people to reach out for support if they are struggling with their mental health.
NHS: 111 Option 2
Samaritans: 116 123
CALM: 0800 58 58 58
Young Minds: 0800 018 2138More information, guidance and support is available on the livewell website. Test and Trace self isolation payments
If resident's are on a low income and can’t work from home while they have to self-isolate, they may be entitled to a payment of £500 under the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme.
Resident's can check the eligibility criteria on our website: www.braintree.gov.uk/coronavirus
Grants
LRSG Open
Support grants for hospitality, leisure and accommodation premises, including community facilities and village halls, for the period the county was and is in tier 2/3.
For grant payments due from 16 October to 2 December, please email ecodev@braintree.gov.uk for an application form.
For grant payments due between 2 to 15 December, please apply here.
LRSG Closed
Support for those premises mandated to close by Gov for the period of lockdown (fixed 28 day period from 5 November 2020 until 2 December 2020), can be applied for online here.
Funding due to Tier 4 restrictions – further to Saturday’s announcement we are still awaiting information from Gov regarding guidance and funding. We will provide an update once this information is available.