Various bubbles

[starbuckscup]

I'm so confused. Sorry if I'm just being thick but I keep reading about everything and I don't get it.

If I have a childcare with MIL can I not be home while she is? Also is it ok thats she's far away but is ok to come and help?

If I already have a separate support bubble is that ok to have a childcare bubble as well?

And Christmas bubbles, are they separate to the above?
Thanks

As far as I understand, you can have a childcare bubble, but you only get a support bubble if you live alone - ie single parent or single person. So if she is your MIL, do you have a DH who lives with you? Because, you shouldn't really have a support bubble as well if you don't live alone, is my understanding.

A bubble is classed as same household, you can have up to 3 households at Xmas, where you and a bubble count as one household. There are no Xmas bubble, don't know where you got that from.

Childcare bubble is primarily to help with childcare when you are not “present” but from what I can understand that doesn’t mean you have to be out of the house as many people are using this when they are working from home. Support bubbles have been extended from today so now are not only for single adult households but for people with children aged under 1 (whether they are single or not), disabled children under a certain age and for people who act as a carer for a disabled adult. You can have a childcare and support bubble as these are different. Xmas bubbles are also different and your support bubble would count as the same household as you for the purpose of the 3 Christmas household rule. So many bubbles and rules it’s no wonder people get confused!

Childcare bubble you.cannot socialise with her so she can help but not when you’re around. A support bubble is different and you become part of their household and can socialise with them. You can have a support bubble if you live alone or if you have a child under 1. You can have both a childcare bubble and a support bubble but like I said, you cannot socialise/be in a room with your childcare bubble. A Christmas bubble is different again, for 5 days you can bubble with three households but cannot see anyone else during this time and neither can they.

As for your mil being far away that’s fine but as you can’t socialise with her she would have to stay elsewhere and just do childcare for you.

Thank you it's MIL who's living alone so I think that's ok. Also trying to sort Christmas out and want to stick to the rules. Thanks for not making me feel stupid. I have been reading about it but feels like it changes all the time

If you’re not in a support bubble with anyone else you can be your mil support bubble if she’s living alone. If you’re already in a support bubble with anyone else then you can’t as you can’t be in two bubbles. She would then have to be childcare bubble instead and you not socialise with her.

if I have a childcare with MIL can I not be home while she is?
Childcare bubble is to provide childcare for work only. Youre not supposed to "socialise". So its OK if you work from home, for you to be home and MIL to be downstairs looking after kids. She isnt supposed to provide childcare for you to go out for dinner or clean the kitchen, for example

Also is it ok thats she's far away but is ok to come and help? yes

If I already have a separate support bubble is that ok to have a childcare bubble as well? yes

And Christmas bubbles, are they separate to the above? yes. Although if you have a support bubble you can be counted as one household for christmas bubble purposes, but if you want to form two completely separate Christmas bubbles you could also do that

@Opentooffers

As far as I understand, you can have a childcare bubble, but you only get a support bubble if you live alone - ie single parent or single person. So if she is your MIL, do you have a DH who lives with you? Because, you shouldn't really have a support bubble as well if you don't live alone, is my understanding.

You can have one if you have a child under 1 or a disabled child under 5, or a disabled partner. Also, OP may not be single but could be bubbled with a single person. A single friend for example. Only one of the households has to be single adult.

@Opentooffers

A bubble is classed as same household, you can have up to 3 households at Xmas, where you and a bubble count as one household. There are no Xmas bubble, don't know where you got that from.

UK Gov website seems to disagree about there being no such thing as a Christmas bubble