Rule of 6 after March 29th

[Bb14]

Before the latest lock down the 'rule of six' came in. With some exemptions, for example if your household was larger than 6 people.

However - from the 29th March " outdoor gatherings (including in private gardens) of either 6 people (the Rule of 6) or 2 households will also be allowed"

I assume this means the rule of six doesn't apply to two households? Before lockdown it was a bit of a logic puzzle, involving leaving some of my household at home to meet with another household!

My understanding is that you can either have two households of any size or up to six people from up to six households - otherwise it would simply be the rule of six again. Hope that makes your life easier!

Yes. Thanks. The reason I was interested was that unlike other guidance in the restrictions, I had understood they the rule of six was actually passed as law. I guess they have removed it being illegal from 29th March!

I can see that paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 of the regulations bans outdoor gatherings of more than six. I can't see anything allowing you to go above six if it's only two households. If it's in there somewhere and I've missed it, please could someone point me to where in the regulations it says that.

It is in there somewhere Lilypond, I read it earlier today. I’ll try to find the relevant section tomorrow and post it.

@ThreeLeggedCat Thank you!

It’s rule of 6 or 2 households of any size. The reason the rule has changed is to make it better for larger families to meet with other people.

It’s shown as an exception as n relation to outdoor gatherings:

Exceptions in relation to outdoor gatherings
6.—(1) These are the exceptions relating only to outdoor gatherings.
Exception 1: two households or linked households
(2) Exception 1 is that all the people in the gathering are members of no more than two households.
(3) For these purposes two households which are linked households in relation to each other are to be treated as a single household.

www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2021/364/schedule/1/made

Thank goodness it will no longer be illegal for cousins to play with each other. The lack of consideration for family before was disgusting.

It'll be good for the DCs to see relatives for the first time in 8 months, and to rebuild friendships with children that they've been barred from seeing since September.

Thank you @ceeveebee. I had been looking at the general exceptions for gatherings instead of the exceptions for outdoor gatherings(!)