Tier 4 exemptions

[Twizbe]

Does anyone know if there is any exemption to travel in tier 4 for mental health?

Don't want to divulge everything but mine has taken a dive and am reaching out for some help.

One thing I know would help is being able to go to my parents. I'm tier 4, they are currently tier 2, soon to be tier 4.

I'm unwilling to leave husband and children so would want them to come too. I'm pretty sure this isn't allowed though.

For context we were supposed to see them for Xmas but it was cancelled last moment. We'd been isolating in preparation for that and have carried that one regardless.

Its probably not allowed but if you've all been isolating I would go anyway I think

There's exemptions even in full lockdowns for mental health/vulnerable persons.

@DecemberStar

There's exemptions even in full lockdowns for mental health/vulnerable persons.

It was just a shame that they didn't advertise the fact. I knew I could go out for exercise more than once a day, but not that I could have support out of the household as a "vulnerable" adult with autism. Many, many meltdowns could have been avoided and I maybe wouldn't have lost so many social skills. I knew about it during the November lockdown and have one person out of the house who is my support, has been since around June and will be now we're in tier 4,

There are rules about who can be in that support bubble.

You are the only adult in your household (any other members of the household having been under 18 on 12 June 2020), or are an under 18 year old living without any adults
you live with someone with a disability who requires continuous care and there is no other adult living in the household
you live with a child under 1, or who was under 1 on 2 December 2020
you live with a child under 5, or who was under 5 on 2 December 2020, who has a disability and requires continuous care

Actually have just been searching in the rules and can't find anything saying this specifically, maybe I'm wrong. I would guess if you're in crisis it's allowed, otherwise not? Perhaps ring a MH support hub and ask?

@cabbageking so does that mean OP can visit her parents under the providing care exemption, but should socially distance?

(In reality if they have all isolated for 10 days it wouldn’t be necessary, rules or no rules)

www.gov.uk/guidance/tier-4-stay-at-home

Buried in which, amongst other things, there is this which may be relevant.

"Travelling out of a Tier 4 area
You must stay at home and not leave your Tier 4 area, other than for legally permitted reasons such as:

.......to provide emergency assistance, and to avoid injury or illness, or to escape a risk of harm (such as domestic abuse)

However I understood that only to relate to someone in a household where there was no other adult support.
If you live with a DH then they will be expected to be your support. Otherwise it's professional support such as a mental health support worker. Your parents are no more 'qualified' than your DH.

The mental health exemption WOULD apply if you were single or single with children under 18. But not when you have a husband/partner in the household.

This is why I'm not sure. I'm not sure if I'm in crisis ... how do you know?

We also live with my in laws and they are part of the issue.

The only exemption is the one quoted by a PP re travelling to avoid injury/illness/abuse.

So if, for example, your in-laws are abusing you, you can travel to your parents to get away from them.

If you just feel you need a change of scene and miss your parents and want to see them to recoup your strength, that is probably not an exemption. Otherwise it would apply to half the country.

Are there other sources of help/support you can call on?
If you do visit your parents now, what is the long term plan to improve your mental health? You might be in tier 4 for a long time.

Is it possible to suggest the inlaws go elsewhere?

I've spoken to my parents. My mum feels this could class as a MH emergency and added to that we don't actually have a liveable house at the moment (reason we are here) we could move in with them instead and be covered by the exemption to move house.

I don't know. Not really stopped crying today. My instinct is to get into the car and go.

Long term, I have got in touch with mental health services this morning and have started that ball rolling.

Not an expert, my understanding is I can not provide my usual support and visit my vulnerable person as they are no longer alone. After a hospital spell they have a relative staying and I have not visited for the last month due to this. Should they return home I can return to my usual support bubble.

Your parents are not alone and therefore have their own support.

OP please do go to your parents .

It's impossible for the regulations /guidelines to cover every single set of circumstances and honestly sometimes you have to use your own judgement when things are serious for you as an individual .

Make the decision and go .

I second peridito. The law cannot be expected to cover every circumstance.
There is a difference between socialising which is a no no and genuine need.
To be frank, the police are not going to say you are not mentally ill and argue it with you even if - big IF- you are stopped.

So on the grounds that this is a genuine need and not going to be argued over I'd just do it.

In Wales you can form a support bubble under compassionate grounds, which includes people with MH difficulties or those who are really struggling due to covid restrictions. Are you in Wales by any chance OP?

@mummabubs

In Wales you can form a support bubble under compassionate grounds, which includes people with MH difficulties or those who are really struggling due to covid restrictions. Are you in Wales by any chance OP?

Not wales unfortunately. We are in England. My parents live about 2 hours from us.

I've mentioned it to my DH. My mum wants me to go as I think she recognises that I need some support. Not sure what DH thinks yet

Op just go

If you feel you are in a crisis and need to go to your parents, then just go. You should have an idea how long you're staying for though to decide how much to pack. You have no home and you aren't happy, so you can legally move to your parents instead. Is your DH ok with that too? How will it work for the children at school and either of you who might need to go to work?

Definitely go - you need support.

@MRex

If you feel you are in a crisis and need to go to your parents, then just go. You should have an idea how long you're staying for though to decide how much to pack. You have no home and you aren't happy, so you can legally move to your parents instead. Is your DH ok with that too? How will it work for the children at school and either of you who might need to go to work?

I'm a SAHP and DH is WFH. Our children are almost 4 and 2. Both attend preschool / nursery but I doubt either will reopen for January tbh.

The main problem is our house. It's uninhabitable at the moment but we do need to be able to check on works visit at least once a week. Though I have a feeling travelling to maintain a property is allowed as well.

I was Googling nervous breakdown earlier. My children are the only thing keeping me going today

Please just go, one if you can travel back to check on the property if needed. You shouldn't be trying to justify the level of your mental health, it is enough to feel that you are seriously struggling.

You can form a support bubble with another household of any size if:
• you live by yourself – even if carers visit you to provide support

This does
Not apply as you don't live alone.

•	you are the only adult in your household who does not need continuous care as a result of a disability

Does not apply as you do not live alone.

•	your household includes a child who is under the age of one or was under that age on 2 December 2020

This may apply . Was your child under 2 on 2/12/2020 ?

•	your household includes a child with a disability who requires continuous care and is under the age of 5, or was under that age on 2 December 2020

This doesn't apply according to the information you have provided.

•	you are aged 16 or 17 living with others of the same age and without any adults

This doesn't apply I presume you are older.
• you are a single adult living with one or more children who are under the age of 18 or were under that age on 12 June 2020

This doesn't apply as you are not single .

If you share custody of your child with someone you do not live with
If you share custody of a child with someone you do not live with, the child can move freely between both parents’ households. You do not need to form a support bubble to do this.
You can form a support bubble if you are eligible.

I cannot see how your circumstances fit any of the criteria required. Support bubbles are to assist SINGLE adults. The only criteria where this is not the case is when you need to flee an abusive relationship.

The whole point of a support bubble is to relieve the loneliness and mental health difficulties of someone living on their own or on their own with children.

If everyone who really missed their parents was allowed to travel acreoss the country then we would be in an even worse situation than we currently are. You have support of your husband. That is all that's a available for now outside the professional support services.

You need to stay put. Your circumstances are not such that they meet any criteria for moving . Unless it's to a hospital or mental health facility.

I hope you do go to your parents. There are no police manning the roads and you have to use your judgment to protect your well-being.

@Trickyboy - their home is unusable and they are unhappy with their lodging, they are entitled to move until their home is usable again. Please realise that sometimes people struggle, OP isn't saying "I miss my mum", she is saying she can't cope, that means being thoughtful with advice would be kinder.