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Original poster

You CAN stay overnight with support bubble

127 replies

Nochangeplease · 20/12/2020 20:06

This is driving me bonkers. I have read so many threads on it tonight. Yes I know I’m now creating another one but it seems everyone is quick to pile in telling people they mustn’t do things and quoting mid information. I know it’s irrational, but it’s really angering me for some reason.
If you are in a support bubble with someone, you can stay overnight with them no matter what tier you are in. You are one household essentially.
People really seem to want lonely people to stay lonely.
“You cannot leave your home or the place where you are living for holidays or stays overnight away from your main home unless you have a reasonable excuse for doing so. This means that holidays in the UK and abroad are not allowed. This includes staying in a second home or caravan, if that is not your primary residence, or staying with anyone you do not live with (other than those with whom you have formed a support bubble)”
The wording of the guidance before was confusing but the rules remain the same. You can stay overnight!

OP posts:
SarcasmQueen · 20/12/2020 20:15

Its so irritating seeing people tell someone they're breaking the rules when they're not isnt it!

Also support bubbles are NOT just for single adults! You CAN have a support bubble if you have a child underb1 (or iver 1 if they were under 1 on the 2nd December) and a child under 5 with a disability that needs care. Just because you done see why someone might need support doesn't mean they don't! And if you're in tier 4 you can leave to see your support bubble or they can come to you. Its one of the government published exemptions.

So much misinformation being used to judge people this week!

Angryandannoyed · 20/12/2020 20:18

You can also just spend time with your support bubble socially right ? Some have suggested doing that isn’t what it’s intended for.

RoseGoldEagle · 20/12/2020 20:20

Yes! Thank you! The people posting the wrong information are often so smug and rude about it as well, it drives me mad.

SarcasmQueen · 20/12/2020 20:23

Yes! The number of people who I've seen say a support bubble is supposed to be for childcare is crazy. That's a child care bubble and only involves under school aged kids. A support bubble is just that for support, even if that support is a cup of coffee and a chat with an adult. Once you're in a bubble you can be treated as one household so can visit them socially if that's what you want to do.

SarcasmQueen · 20/12/2020 20:24

@RoseGoldEagle

Yes! Thank you! The people posting the wrong information are often so smug and rude about it as well, it drives me mad.
That was supposed to be a reply to this but it didn't work for some reason
SarcasmQueen · 20/12/2020 20:25

@Angryandannoyed

You can also just spend time with your support bubble socially right ? Some have suggested doing that isn’t what it’s intended for.
Haha nope this one even Hmm what is wrong with my phone today!
Zippy1510 · 20/12/2020 20:25

There’s a paragraph towards the end of the government website currently which is confusing. It basically says whilst you can only spend Christmas Day with your Christmas bubble- you can stay in private rented accommodation regardless of tier (apart from tier 4) with your own household or your Christmas bubble from the 24-26th if you need to do that in order to see them on the 25th. So it seem to be saying you can basically all go and hang out in a holiday cottage for 3 days instead. I haven’t seen this mentioned anywhere else but just stumbled across it when trying to understand bubble rules.

goodwinter · 20/12/2020 20:30

It's pissing me off too. I'm in a support bubble with my mum and younger brothers, who live the other end of the country from me. Whilst the govt "advise" that support bubbles should be local, it's not a requirement, yet I'm seeing so many people saying "what support could you possibly give from far away, it's just a way to cheat the system" etc. All this is completely legal and within the guidance, but there seem to be a huge amount of self-appointed Covid officers popping up since 4pm yesterday with little to no understanding of the actual rules. I'm close to snapping at the next person who starts up about it tbh.

Signaturesoftheworkers · 20/12/2020 20:30

This is driving me insane not knowing. Can a tier 4 single person stay with a tier 4 family overnight? 2 hour drive though? I'm happy to be told she can't come but not knowing is just awful.

goodwinter · 20/12/2020 20:32

@Zippy1510

There’s a paragraph towards the end of the government website currently which is confusing. It basically says whilst you can only spend Christmas Day with your Christmas bubble- you can stay in private rented accommodation regardless of tier (apart from tier 4) with your own household or your Christmas bubble from the 24-26th if you need to do that in order to see them on the 25th. So it seem to be saying you can basically all go and hang out in a holiday cottage for 3 days instead. I haven’t seen this mentioned anywhere else but just stumbled across it when trying to understand bubble rules.
One thing to bear in mind in these discussions is that Christmas bubbles and support bubbles are not the same thing. This is where a good amount of the confusion is coming from, I think, and it's down to piss poor govt comms.
refusetobeasheep · 20/12/2020 20:32

If you're in a support bubble then you are treated as one household so yes can visit and stay overnight, regardless of if in different tiers.

goodwinter · 20/12/2020 20:33

@Signaturesoftheworkers

This is driving me insane not knowing. Can a tier 4 single person stay with a tier 4 family overnight? 2 hour drive though? I'm happy to be told she can't come but not knowing is just awful.
Absolutely yes. Support bubbles can act as one household and this supercedes all other guidance (i.e. regardless of tier or length of stay). That is as long as you ARE in a support bubble together ie neither household has had a different support bubble within the previous 10 days.
partyatthepalace · 20/12/2020 20:34

Yes - if they are in a support bubble it is fine.

I think what is causing confusion is that Christmas 3 household get together were being called Christmas Bubbles.

Support bubbles are still fine and always have been.

SnackSizeRaisin · 20/12/2020 20:37

This is driving me insane not knowing. Can a tier 4 single person stay with a tier 4 family overnight? 2 hour drive though? I'm happy to be told she can't come but not knowing is just awful

Yes if the single person is in a support bubble with the family. Support bubb an be changed but you have to leave a 10 day gap between last seeing the old and first seeing the new. So even if not currently in a support bubble together, the two can form one as long as neither currently has one.

Original poster
Nochangeplease · 20/12/2020 20:46

So glad I’ve started a thread for sensible people Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
Nochangeplease · 20/12/2020 20:48

People seem to get some sort of joy out of telling people they’re not allowed to do things, which is cruel enough when they’re actually right but just infuriating when they’re wrong.
I don’t think we should be judging anybody for their decisions right now without fully knowing their reasons.

OP posts:
Redcandle · 20/12/2020 20:51

As a single parent I have been in a support bubble with my sister since June and will be spending Christmas with her. (We are both I tier4 1 hr drive apart)

Tal45 · 20/12/2020 20:51

I think trying to keep up with and get your head around all the rules could be a full time job in itself!

hammeringinmyhead · 20/12/2020 20:52

Yes. So many people bleating on that you can't leave Tier 4, when you can for permitted reasons which includes any and all support bubbles. Not just single adult ones. There's a whole list.

Bloodybackpain · 20/12/2020 20:52

F

CrispySeaweedIsReallyCabbage · 20/12/2020 20:55

I think your support bubble is meant to be like another member of your household, except, (I think), if one of you is sick or gets told to isolate.

Smallbus1 · 20/12/2020 20:56

Oh really! This is such good news. We have 8m twins and support bubble are my parents. We are in T4 and have cancelled them coming for xmas day, but sounds like they can come and stay over?!

SarcasmQueen · 20/12/2020 21:01

@Smallbus1

Oh really! This is such good news. We have 8m twins and support bubble are my parents. We are in T4 and have cancelled them coming for xmas day, but sounds like they can come and stay over?!
Yes absolutely! If they are your support bubble you can see each other whenever you want, for however long you want and for any reason you want! Thats the role of the support bubble, to give you whatever support you need. Especially with twins! Thats what the guidelines say so they can absolutely come!
Horizons83 · 20/12/2020 21:02

Thank you OP.. this was driving me mad last night. My caps lock was breaking having to point out the stupidity.

And to the others who mention 'but what support can you give if you don't live close to each other' - you don't have to 'give support', it's just the colloquial term that's been used. The legislation actually says 'linked households' which is a far better term as it takes away the feeling that you have to be providing some kind of support to qualify.

Zippy1510 · 20/12/2020 21:04

On the site I’m fairly sure Christmas bubbles and support bubbles are discussed separately. This is from the section talking about the bubbles you form at Christmas with 3 other households on the 25th and how you can stay in rented accommodation overnight in order to see them. We aren’t doing this ourselves I was just surprised as i haven’t heard anyone mention this elsewhere.

You CAN stay overnight with support bubble