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Original poster

Tier 4 - can I form a support bubble and go stay with my parents?

425 replies

yellowtail1 · 19/12/2020 16:49

I live in London with my DH and our 10 week old baby. Can we go and stay with my parents (who live in a tier 2 area) over Christmas by forming a support bubble and if so, how long could we stay with them for? Sorry if this is a stupid question - my head is all over the place and I’m just so confused. Can anyone help?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
ineedaholidaynow · 19/12/2020 17:40

If we have been told to 'act as if we are infectious' would you go to your parents if you had the virus?

PleasantVille · 19/12/2020 17:42

Aren't you concerned about the possibility of exposing areas that don't currently have the new variant to it?

It does sound like you're look for loopholes without considering why Tier 4 has been introduced.

binkyblinky · 19/12/2020 17:45

Yes, if you leave before midnight

Remmy123 · 19/12/2020 17:47

Just go - fir goodness sake this is ridiculous. They are your parents and you are staying there it's fine!!

LabradorGalore · 19/12/2020 17:52

While I have every sympathy for the OP and understand having a baby in the midst of a pandemic is incredibly difficult, we really shouldn’t be seeking to justify anyone leaving a tier 4 into a tier 2.

There is a new more infectious variant of covid. Please let’s not spread it around the country. That message seems to have gotten lost very quickly for people who want to spend Christmas together. OP hasn’t been seeing her parents regularly so it’s actually unfair to say it’s a support bubble now.

Op you do have my utmost sympathy but please consider staying at home this Christmas if you feel you can Flowers

Mummaest2006 · 19/12/2020 17:55

Jesus Christ!!! So what if the OP is just using it for Christmas!!! I had a baby 7 weeks ago, it’s been horrible not seeing anybody or having annoying for support and I have a partner to help, in fact even the pregnancy was weird because we didn’t get to have partners at appointments etc! We totally deserve a nice Christmas to actually see our families for the first time since having baby! OP you are totally entitled to form a support bubble , have a lovely Christmas with your family!

RichardMarxisinnocent · 19/12/2020 17:58

@PurpleDaisies

They’re showing Boris on tv again. He actually says that support bubbles are still there for people at particular risk of loneliness or isolation.

That doesn’t sound like the op or her parents.

Support bubbles are still there full stop. I'm pretty sure his mention of people at risk loneliness and isolation was just him making reference to why support bubbles were introduced, rather than him putting restrictions on support bubbles in tier 4.
Thatwentbadly · 19/12/2020 17:58

@rainbowunicorn

No you can't. You have a DH so you do not qualify to form a support bubble as none of you are single adults. Presumably you are not a carer for your parents as if you were you would have already been doing this.
As they have a children under 1 they can form a bubbles. But you’re not allowed to leave tier 4.
Grenlei · 19/12/2020 17:59

Again, you CAN leave Tier 4 for certain reasons. One of those is visiting your support bubble.

caffeinebuzz · 19/12/2020 18:00

I just read that you are allowed to cross tiers for support / childcare bubbles, so what you are proposing should be fine.

Original poster
yellowtail1 · 19/12/2020 18:02

You are not allowed to stay overnight away from your home, whether on holiday, in a second home or caravan, or with anyone you do not live with, or are in a support bubble with.

So I’ve now just seen this on the BBC website. It’s so contradictory!

OP posts:
Sargass0 · 19/12/2020 18:02

Why is your question "is it allowed?"

Shouldn't it be- I'm in Tier 4 area with rapid spread- what is the risk of spreading it further if I go into a Tier 2 area...?

Are people really this selfish and stupid?

Original poster
yellowtail1 · 19/12/2020 18:05

Or does that BBC advice mean you can stay overnight with someone who’s in your support bubble? Is it just me or is the wording very unclear? Confused

OP posts:
BeccaE · 19/12/2020 18:05

@yellowtail1

You are not allowed to stay overnight away from your home, whether on holiday, in a second home or caravan, or with anyone you do not live with, or are in a support bubble with.

So I’ve now just seen this on the BBC website. It’s so contradictory!

The BBC says support bubbles are unaffected. I think your quote means you can’t stay with anyone you don’t live with or are in a support bubble with not that you can’t stay with your support bubble.
BeccaE · 19/12/2020 18:06

BBC: “Support bubbles remain unaffected, as do the exemptions for separated parents and their children.”

MichelleofzeResistance · 19/12/2020 18:06

We totally deserve a nice Christmas to actually see our families

We all do. But what we deserve, and the reality of what has to be dealt with, are two different things.

This was raised during the tv broadcast, with someone saying they were packed up and ready to go this evening, could they go if they went before midnight. The answer was no, please unpack and don't go. One of the reasons for tier 4 being created, in this awful last minute way, is an urgent attempt to stop the new variant flooding out of the highly affected areas into the lower affected areas and spreading it across the country. It's important enough for them to have done this last minute U turn.

It is vile. It's not what any of us deserve, and many people are in bloody awful situations, but flooding it across the UK won't help anyone.

macaroniinapot · 19/12/2020 18:07

I think it clearly states you can’t stay overnight.

However during the long lockdown you could move back home into another household for support. If you’re feeling really low and struggling this might be an option?

Not sure there’s a legal way to go home for 5 days over Christmas specifically though.

tootyfruitypickle · 19/12/2020 18:08

I’m a single parent and my support bubble is an hour away .

tootyfruitypickle · 19/12/2020 18:08

And you can stay overnight

Elephant4 · 19/12/2020 18:09

If we have been told to 'act as if we are infectious' would you go to your parents if you had the virus?

But we can’t be infectious. We’ve been self isolating for 2 weeks.

flooringandpaint · 19/12/2020 18:09

You can form a bubble as your baby is under one so yes you can.

1990shopefulftm · 19/12/2020 18:09

If you re mental health is suffering and it's the hope of seeing them that's kept you going then I can understand.

I m in a tier 3 area and didn't go anywhere that wasn't outdoors or to medical appointments for my entire pregnancy to keep baby and and health care staff I safe so I haven't seen my family or friends in over 9 months, I stupidly thought in march that I wouldn't end up in hospital alone by doing that and I was so so wrong.

I m 6 weeks postpartum and after baby and I having sepsis and 7 nights in hospital including two alone in early labour, the flashbacks of what happened arent pleasant (can still remember the other women screaming in pain alone with no support overnight like I did) so I think I m going to still see my family for the one day who are in Wales and if like me you ve followed every guideline yourself till now I wouldn't hold it against you OP.

tootyfruitypickle · 19/12/2020 18:10

No need to rush tonight. The weather is awful and you will have all the nutters out. You can go anytime and stay overnight

Grenlei · 19/12/2020 18:11

You can't stay with someone not in your support bubble.

You can stay with your support bubble for as many or few nights as you want.

Dongdingdong · 19/12/2020 18:12

On a separate point of grammar, I think the BBC quote is missing a “not”.

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