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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Can’t believe we are now living in a world where you need a ‘reasonable excuse’ to leave your house

113 replies

Despairandchocolatecake · 05/01/2021 14:34

I do understand why but I still can’t quite believe it.
I feel extremely claustrophobic, the house is now a prison - and this could go on another six months. I now need a ‘reasonable excuse’ to step outside my front door. I don’t have one so that is it. We are locked up.
All that freedom we took for granted seems like a different lifetime.

OP posts:
RaininSummer · 05/01/2021 14:37

You are still allowed out of the house. Go for a walk.

yellowmaoampinball · 05/01/2021 14:38

The list of reasonable excuses is pretty long though. And you can leave to exercise. So you're not really locked up

WishingHopingThinkingPraying · 05/01/2021 14:39

Come up with a few reasonable excuses? Exercise once a day. Meet 1 friend for that exercise, a different one every day even. Go to the grocery shop instead of deliveries. Find a lonely elderly person close to you and become a help to them. If your mental health is at breaking point then I believe that is a reasonable excuse to have a second walk or whatever. What you DO need to do however us be as absolutely safe as possible.

*May have some rules wrong depending on OPs location

luxxlisbon · 05/01/2021 14:39

The list of reasonable excuses is as long as your arm. You aren't literally locked in your house by any means.

Porcupineintherough · 05/01/2021 14:40

It's hardly the first time in our history their have been restrictions on our personal freedoms. And you are not locked in.

Blurp · 05/01/2021 14:41

A "reasonable excuse" includes exercise, shopping etc. You're not completely stuck inside. But, yes, it's shit. Do you live alone?

Try not to think of it as 6 more months. It won't be. There'll be at least another month of "hard" lockdown. But after that, as more and more people are vaccinated, the numbers being hospitalised will fall, and things can start to open up again.

Bear in mind that it's all about protecting the NHS. The over-80s are most likely to end up hospitalised with Covid. Once they've been vaccinated, they will be much less likely to need hospitalisation, so although the number of Covid cases may remain high, the number of hospitalisations will fall.

MrsPernicious · 05/01/2021 14:42

When you can leave home www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home#when-you-can-leave-home

How many more excuses do you want?

You must not leave or be outside of your home except where you have a ‘reasonable excuse’. This will be put in law. The police can take action against you if you leave home without a ‘reasonable excuse’, and issue you with a fine (Fixed Penalty Notice).

You can be given a Fixed Penalty Notice of £200 for the first offence, doubling for further offences up to a maximum of £6,400.

A ‘reasonable excuse’ includes:

Work - you can only leave home for work purposes where it is unreasonable for you to do your job from home, including but not limited to people who work within critical national infrastructure, construction or manufacturing that require in-person attendance
Volunteering - you can also leave home to provide voluntary or charitable services.
Essential activities - you can leave home to buy things at shops or obtain services. You may also leave your home to do these things on behalf of a disabled or vulnerable person or someone self-isolating.
Education and childcare - You can only leave home for education, registered childcare, and supervised activities for children where they are eligible to attend. Access to education and children’s activities for school-aged pupils is restricted. See further information on education and childcare. People can continue existing arrangements for contact between parents and children where they live apart. This includes childcare bubbles.
Meeting others and care - You can leave home to visit people in your support bubble ( if you are legally permitted to form one), to provide informal childcare for children under 14 as part of a childcare bubble (for example, to enable parents to work, and not to enable social contact between adults), to provide care for disabled or vulnerable people, to provide emergency assistance, to attend a support group (of up to 15 people), or for respite care where that care is being provided to a vulnerable person or a person with a disability, or is a short break in respect of a looked-after child.
Exercise - You can continue to exercise alone, with one other person or with your household or support bubble. This should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.You should maintain social distancing. See exercising and meeting other people.
Medical reasons - You can leave home for a medical reason, including to get a COVID-19 test, for medical appointments and emergencies.
Harm and compassionate visits - you can leave home to be with someone who is giving birth, to avoid injury or illness or to escape risk of harm (such as domestic abuse). You can also leave home to visit someone who is dying or someone in a care home (if permitted under care home guidance), hospice, or hospital, or to accompany them to a medical appointment.
Animal welfare reasons – you can leave home for animal welfare reasons, such as to attend veterinary services for advice or treatment.
Communal worship and life events - You can leave home to attend or visit a place of worship for communal worship, a funeral or event related to a death, a burial ground or a remembrance garden, or to attend a wedding ceremony. You should follow the guidance on the safe use of places of worship and must not mingle with anyone outside of your household or support bubble when attending a place of worship.Weddings, funerals and religious, belief-based or commemorative events linked to someone’s death are all subject to limits on the numbers that can attend, and weddings and civil ceremonies may only take place in exceptional circumstances.
There are further reasonable excuses. For example, you may leave home to fulfil legal obligations or to carry out activities related to buying, selling, letting or renting a residential property, or where it is reasonably necessary for voting in an election or referendum.

LoudTree · 05/01/2021 14:42

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DecemberSun · 05/01/2021 14:45

In our village a lot of people have taken on caring responsibilities for the elderly and disabled, which is a wonderful thing.

All of these can continue.

Despairandchocolatecake · 05/01/2021 14:50

Well my life is going to be lost anyway loudtree but I do recognise that against the backdrop of covid and thousands of others it is insignificant. For me it will end my life. I’m done.

OP posts:
TheUnwindingCableCar · 05/01/2021 14:50

Bit dramatic

yellowmaoampinball · 05/01/2021 14:54

Ignore loudtree, she's being ridiculous. People need to be able to get outside for their physical and mental health. It sounds like you're really struggling OP. Do you have anyone in real life you can turn to?

Despairandchocolatecake · 05/01/2021 14:54

Yeah well people who want to stop anyone going out for any reasons are the reason I won’t go out and part of the reason why this has contributed to how depressed I am. I dare not go out the house for fear of being judged.

OP posts:
Despairandchocolatecake · 05/01/2021 14:56

No I’m on my own. I’ve got a dh but in every way that matters I’m on my own. In fact the dh makes it worse.
It’s ok - I know people are in worse situations and my dc will be fine which is most important thing, but the fact I no longer feel I can go out my front door (and I do understand why, I really do) has been the last straw for me.

OP posts:
Northernsoulgirl45 · 05/01/2021 14:58

Who are these people OP? I don't know anyone who would be checking abd counting how many times a person leaves the house. Mayve contact your GP fir some support in real life

supergirls · 05/01/2021 14:58

@LoudTree

The purpose of the restrictions is to save lives Hmm That is far more important than being able to leave home multiple times per day for totally non essential reasons.

Personally I don’t think this ‘lockdown’ is strict enough. It should be a case of- unless you are a key worker, stay the fuck at home.

Not going out for walks or popping to the shop for alcohol Hmm

@LoudTree Why on earth do you want to police people so much?! It's very strange. And why the fixation on people shopping for alcohol? It's allowed in Tesco's you know!!!
yellowmaoampinball · 05/01/2021 15:00

Don't let judgemental dickheads stop you from doing what you are allowed to do. I know Mumsnet can make you feel like everybody is out to judge but in reality there aren't that many curtain twitching mumsnetters around.

Your life is valuable too, if locking yourself in is going to make you suicidal then please don't do it. I can't imagine how hard lockdown must be when you're in an unhappy marriage. Please be kind to yourself - you're allowed to do that, you really are.

Porcupineintherough · 05/01/2021 15:01

I dare not go out the house for fear of being judged

That is a real problem, no wonder you feel trapped and claustrophobic. Can you talk to your gp and tell them this?

dottypees · 05/01/2021 15:01

Well to be fair, I only leave my house when I have reason to anyway. I’m either going to the shop, or walking the dog, or just going for a walk myself for fresh air. I can still do all those things. Do you leave your house just to wander about aimlessly?

Despairandchocolatecake · 05/01/2021 15:03

No but I could have left before any time I’d wanted to.
I also now cannot attend my counselling appointments or my solicitors appointments. It’s making me feel like I cannot breathe.

OP posts:
HerRoyalNotness · 05/01/2021 15:03

That’s your perspective and choice though OP. Change your mindset. Do you really care if someone is judging you,
Most likely silently so you’d never know anyway!

RedskyAtnight · 05/01/2021 15:04

Most people only leave their house when they have a reason to do so. The list of reasons to do so has got shorter, but you can still leave your house any time you want.

Newgirls · 05/01/2021 15:04

Ok book to walk with a friend tomorrow and as many days as you can find friends who want to go out. Or head out to a coffee shop where they do take out. Don’t worry if a queue just space apart and chat to randoms. It will make you feel better and TOTALLy allowed.

2020isnotbehaving · 05/01/2021 15:06

It should be out for exercise or mental health. I’m Disabled if I go out I drive a power chair so don’t technically do any exercise. Under rules I should stay in unless it’s for food etc. Not really fair if I live in tiny flat with no outdoor space and can’t even open a window more than an inch!

Despairandchocolatecake · 05/01/2021 15:06

I cannot go for a walk with a friend because I will always havemy dc with me and you can only meet 1:1
I’d be too worried about the police anyway. I can’t afford a £200 fine.

OP posts: