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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:
00100001 · 20/12/2020 21:06

indeed they can @Smallbus1

i think a lot of "support bubbles" are going to be created for the festiv eperiod...

DecemberDiana · 20/12/2020 21:10

I'm not in a support bubble but have family who are but according to some petty Robespierre on here it's not allowed. It's only an issue if people take their cue from social media rather than looking into it for themselves.

robinshire · 20/12/2020 21:12

Thank you so much for this thread! My mum is on her own, in tier 2 and we are tier 3,100 miles away. She's been in our support bubble since March as we have both needed it with my Dad passing away. We have all been in tears today thinking she would be alone and thought she wasn't able to come and stay!
There is so much wrong and confusing information being passed around!

CasperGutman · 20/12/2020 21:13

@SarcasmQueen

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!

As is so often the case, it's worth flagging up that the above info applies in England. In other parts of the UK, rules may differ.

In Wales, for example, anyone who is the single adult in their household can form a support bubble.

SarcasmQueen · 20/12/2020 21:20

@casperGutman yes of course, a very good point!

DulwichMum1234 · 20/12/2020 21:22

I am very confused now. Doesn’t this mean you can form a childcare bubble for children under the age of 13? www.gov.uk/guidance/tier-4-stay-at-home

Originalyellowbelly · 20/12/2020 21:29

Thank you for clarifying this OP, I live with my DH and I am in a support bubble with my DS and his DGFriend, they have a 6yr old and 6month old so they can come here and stay over even though they live in tier 4 and we are tier 3. So many have said we are illegal but we are not.

orangecinnamon · 20/12/2020 21:51

@Zippy1510

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.
I thought I was going mad. We were looking at this guidance this morning and it didn't make sense at all. DH even sent to MIL to see what she thought. It seems they have edited the last sentence now to make sense Hmm but thanks @Nochangeplease - I wouldn't have looked again!
You CAN stay overnight with support bubble
orangecinnamon · 20/12/2020 21:52

I don't know how I managed to quote Zippys post when I clicked the original post sorry!

CrispySeaweedIsReallyCabbage · 20/12/2020 21:52

[quote DulwichMum1234]I am very confused now. Doesn’t this mean you can form a childcare bubble for children under the age of 13? www.gov.uk/guidance/tier-4-stay-at-home[/quote]
It looks like it doesn't it?

I mean, I guess there is an element of using your discretion. For example, even though legally you can bubble with your elderly mum in Newcastle, if you live in Tooting, then go up to sleep at her house for a fortnight over Christmas...maybe you wouldn't want to unless you had a good reason to (mental health and isolation etc).

We have a relative who lives alone, but she lives a good 3 or 4 hour drive away. We aren't bubbling with her. She might bubble with someone more local, even though yes, technically we could. It just doesn't make sense as it increases the risk. We would have to sleep over at hers if we went to visit. Based on the "you face arrest if you leave tier 4" thing...I mean...how does that work? Do I just say "I'm off to visit my support bubble"? Not that I'm going to tbf.

CrispySeaweedIsReallyCabbage · 20/12/2020 21:55

Also based on the "omg did you see all those London BASTARDS getting on trains?" threads... well, it seems they may have been allowed to do that, as support bubbles can stay at each other's homes even outside the Christmas period?

StealthPolarBear · 20/12/2020 21:59

Unless either household has tested positive, which at the moment is a hell of a lot. Then it's back to two separate isolating households. I suspect this will be the case for lots over Christmas.

WeavingWandering · 20/12/2020 22:10

In fairness- that edit to the tier 4 overnight stays for support bubbles wasn’t there until a few hours ago. I’ve checked and re-read that page about twenty times today and that’s definitely a recent edit .

Bloodybackpain · 20/12/2020 22:12

@WeavingWandering yup I’ve read it over and over too and that’s definitely a recent update.
My husband is convinced we can’t leave tier 4 to visit the other member of our bubble in tier 2. Hopefully this will convince him we can ...

Callipygion · 20/12/2020 22:16

Can you sensible people help me with this then - I have been in a support bubble with my son as I live alone, he rents a room in a house so I suppose that’s his “household” although they all live separately they share kitchen & bathroom. Now, I think he should still be able to come home for Christmas BUT my other child who is at uni (not seen her since before first lockdown) and has now returned home for Christmas (as was allowed) SO does this now mean my son can’t come as I’m no longer a single household??

Bloodybackpain · 20/12/2020 22:23

@Callipygion hmm not sure ... that’s a tricky one. Sadly Possibly not I’d say but but not been keeping up to date on how it works with older kids

WeavingWandering · 20/12/2020 22:25

@Bloodybackpain- it does say visiting is allowed? It used to say it had to be carer reasons but it looks like that has been amended as well.

Personally, I’ve only met with my support bubble in an emergency/unavoidable situation and that’s the only reason I’d do it again, but I’m clinically vulnerable so not risking it unless I have to!

Jocasta2018 · 20/12/2020 22:26

I'm in Tier 4 & my support bubble is in Waverley Tier 2 - the only area in Surrey that has remained Tier 2.
We've arranged that as my area is currently the highest in Surrey, I won't travel down to Tier 2, they will pop up to see me for occasional socially distanced visits - to be reviewed if tiers change.
Yes I know I can legally still see them, regardless of tier & I'm going to be mostly alone for the foreseeable but their household contains elderly vulnerable family,
I am still welcome in their household, I have been visiting & they are happy to see me for Xmas but I would rather not take the risk any more.
However if the shit hits the fan then the support will be there for me as they do appreciate what I'm doing & that's a comforting thought.
Being on your own f-ing sucks...

MiaMarshmallows · 20/12/2020 22:35

You can't be in a support bubble if you are living with adult children.
I didn't think you could travel into a tier 4 area either even if you are in anogher persons tier 4 support bubble

CrochetOrBust · 20/12/2020 22:43

@MiaMarshmallows

You can't be in a support bubble if you are living with adult children. I didn't think you could travel into a tier 4 area either even if you are in anogher persons tier 4 support bubble
You can travel into a Tier 4 area if that’s where your support bubble is - current guidance says

You should not travel into a Tier 4 area from another part of the UK, other than for reasons such as:

travel to work where you cannot work from home
travel to education and for caring responsibilities
to visit (including staying overnight with) those in your support bubble - or your childcare bubble for childcare
to attend hospital, GP and other medical appointments or visits where you have had an accident or are concerned about your health

mnahmnah · 20/12/2020 22:44

I’ve been confused too, as everything seems to be about tier 4 and Christmas bubbles that I read.

Me and DC have been in a support bubble with my Mum since March. She sees nobody else. Doesn’t even leave her village. My DH hasn’t visited her. We are both tier 2. I intended to visit her from Boxing Day to the 2nd. The only advice against this seems to be the ‘stay local’ and she is 150 miles away. But can I go?!

Hmm12121 · 20/12/2020 22:49

If your now 18 year old child was under 18 on the 2nd (or something) of June, you can have a support bubble if you are a single parent.

Clymene · 20/12/2020 22:54

Frankly I think it's stretching credibility to have a 'support bubble' you only see every 3 months because you live miles away.

No, it's not legally wrong. But this is about not spreading the virus, not finding a way round the rules.

Meh, do what you feel comfortable doing.

bubblebubblebubbletrouble · 20/12/2020 22:54

The guidance has definitely been updated today to get rid of the weird double negative - thankfully for me as my kids are off to their dads so I can go to my parents (support bubble since June)
Actually I feel very lucky coz despite tier 4 our plans haven't had to change.

ThatLibraryMiss · 20/12/2020 22:56

@mnahmnah

I’ve been confused too, as everything seems to be about tier 4 and Christmas bubbles that I read.

Me and DC have been in a support bubble with my Mum since March. She sees nobody else. Doesn’t even leave her village. My DH hasn’t visited her. We are both tier 2. I intended to visit her from Boxing Day to the 2nd. The only advice against this seems to be the ‘stay local’ and she is 150 miles away. But can I go?!

Yes. Despite the posters saying that support bubbles HAVE to be local, they can be as distanced as necessary.

I will be travelling 180 miles from Tier 3 to Tier 4 and staying there for five days. This is completely within the rules.

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