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Original poster

Rule of 6 and children - definitive rules from gov?

21 replies

Laquila · 27/03/2021 08:55

I've seen conflicting guidance on this - some sources are saying children are included in the six and some are saying children under 5 are not counted. The gov website doesn't seem to specify - has anyone seen anything from the gov, rather than the second-hand sources circulating?

OP posts:
CuthbertDibbleandGrubb · 27/03/2021 09:04

BBC said they were included, but that two households meeting together can have more than six in total. As does the government website.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-spring-2021/covid-19-response-spring-2021-summary

Original poster
Laquila · 27/03/2021 09:08

Thanks @CuthbertDibbleandGrubb. I did comb that page and can see the point about two households but can't see anywhere that it says that children under 5 aren't included in the 6 total for Rof6?

OP posts:
FlyingBurrito · 27/03/2021 09:10

Where are you? In England it's quite clear that children count in the 6

GreenBalaclava · 27/03/2021 09:14

Agree with the posters above. By not specifying that children of any age aren't included, it's clear that they are.

Original poster
Laquila · 27/03/2021 09:29

Sorry, should have specified - yes, I'm in England. I initially thought it was clear, in that I assumed the 6 included children, but then two friends said to me separately that they thought it didn't include preschool children (as with the rule about two adults meeting for exercise and preschool children not counting). So I googled and couldn't find a definitive answer from the government.

I did find conflicting second-hand sources, for example this LBC article saying that kids under 5 don't count:

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.lbc.co.uk/hot-topics/coronavirus/rule-of-six-what-is-it-and-does-it-include-babies-and-children/

Hence asking for government sources.

OP posts:
Original poster
Laquila · 27/03/2021 09:31

(Apologies @CuthbertDibbleandGrubb - I
initially misread the first line of your post and thought you were saying that the BBC had said they weren't included - please ignore my response to you!)

OP posts:
FlyingBurrito · 27/03/2021 09:38

LBC have got that wrong for England unless you just have 2 households plus support bubble only then you can go over 6

Vanillaradio · 27/03/2021 10:29

I think the confusion comes from the fact that in a couple of situations like support groups, parent and toddler groups the legislation specifically says children under 5 are excluded and people have interpreted this as they don't count generally. As far as I can see they do count in the general rule of 6 as there is no specific exclusion for children to that part.

SavingsQuestions · 29/03/2021 00:14

We can have more than 6 if 2 households right? So a family of 4 and a family of 5 can meet up.

I took it as 6 people (could be 6 households) OR 2 households...

Original poster
Laquila · 29/03/2021 07:36

Yes that's right @savingsquestions. I think @vanillaradio is correct about where the confusion came from. I haven't googled it again since this thread but hopefully LBC have taken down the misleading article but I don't know why the government wouldn't just make it unambiguous on gov.co.uk.

OP posts:
SquirtleSquad · 29/03/2021 07:39

I had read wrong that children under 5 were not included but on further reading it's only for organised group activities:

"All children from 29 March will be able to access outdoor childcare and supervised activities, while parent and child groups will have a limit of 15 attendees.
Children under five years old will not be counted as part of the attendee limit on outdoor parent and child groups."

BarbaraofSeville · 29/03/2021 07:47

If a none official sources says different to gov.uk then it's safe to say that it's wrong.

People make up all sorts of crap, even Boris Johnson and the rest of the government ministers, the last year has made that very clear. There's no point scouring gov.uk to find the endless made up rules, because they don't exist.

SavingsQuestions · 29/03/2021 07:58

Its so confusing isn't it? Im arramging to meet other families from today though!

The staying local now its no longer stay at home is he other muddled message isn't it. I want to go walking but where I live its not a long drive but not my borough/town so have avoided up til now. I'm thinking I'm allowed now. It's not like I'm driving across the country...

FlyingBurrito · 29/03/2021 08:18

@SavingsQuestions

Its so confusing isn't it? Im arramging to meet other families from today though!

The staying local now its no longer stay at home is he other muddled message isn't it. I want to go walking but where I live its not a long drive but not my borough/town so have avoided up til now. I'm thinking I'm allowed now. It's not like I'm driving across the country...

I'm a natural rule follower as are most of my friends but we've never stopped driving to meet each other for walks As long as you aren't driving for hours to busy beauty spots I wouldn't give it a moment's thought.
RaspberryBubblegum · 29/03/2021 08:24

Are you in England? In Wales it's children under 11 don't count. 5 seems very unreasonable and blocks off a lot of families from socialising? Confused

SavingsQuestions · 29/03/2021 08:38

Flying - we've been driving locally as lots in local area. But I'mbored of it now! I guess they are beauty spots/walkers areas and about 30/40mins away.

FlyingBurrito · 29/03/2021 09:18

@RaspberryBubblegum

Are you in England? In Wales it's children under 11 don't count. 5 seems very unreasonable and blocks off a lot of families from socialising? Confused
Two households can meet without limit which allows a fair bit of socialisung
Norwaydidnthappen · 29/03/2021 10:18

I didn’t realise it could be two households or the rule of 6. They’re just making it up as they go along and it very rarely makes sense. We have 5 DC so always thought we automatically couldn’t socialise with anyone but if it’s two households guess this means it’s now legal to see my mum. Nice.

peaches19 · 29/03/2021 10:31

The legislation is clear that the exemption for children under 5 only applies to parent and child groups. This has been hugely misreported by some press. Finally the government have clarified it in the guidance www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do?priority-taxon=774cee22-d896-44c1-a611-e3109cce8eae#meeting-friends-and-family-outdoors-rule-of-6

FlyingBurrito · 29/03/2021 10:35

@Norwaydidnthappen

I didn’t realise it could be two households or the rule of 6. They’re just making it up as they go along and it very rarely makes sense. We have 5 DC so always thought we automatically couldn’t socialise with anyone but if it’s two households guess this means it’s now legal to see my mum. Nice.
They really aren't making it up as they go along, the rules are easily available to fnd online.

I think what you mean is that you weren't aware of the two household rule which is really on you as it's been there in the roadmap from the start.

Outside there is no limit on numbers as long as it's two households which includes support bubbles

This, for example, has been available since 22 Feb

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-spring-2021/covid-19-response-spring-2021-summary#step-1---8-and-29-march

Minesateaorthree · 30/03/2021 00:51

This is the updated info from gov. Co.UK

Meeting friends and family outdoors (rule of 6)
You can meet up outdoors with friends and family you do not live with, either:

in a group of up to 6 from any number of households (children of all ages count towards the limit of 6)
Hth

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