Rule of Six

The new rules (Rule of Six) on the number of people who can gather in a social group came into force on Monday (14 September 2020). It is now illegal for people in England to gather in groups of more than six (there are slight variations to the rules for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland).

In summary, the Rule of Six states:

• Social gatherings of more than six people are illegal.
• Anyone socialising in groups larger than six people (who are not part of either your household or support bubble) will be liable for a £100 on-the-spot fine (this will double on repeat offences up to £3,200) and the Police have the power to disperse any illegal gatherings.
• The limit of six people applies to adult and children in any setting (apart from a few limited exemptions including work and education) both indoors and outdoors and includes in homes, parks, gardens and other venues such as pubs and restaurants.

The new rules replace the previous ban on participating in gatherings of more than 30 people and the previous guidance on allowing two households to meet indoors.

We understand that the new regulations have no direct impact on the number of passengers that can be carried on a vehicle, and operators should continue to follow the Safer Transport Guidance for Operators issued by DfT.

We are aware that the trade association, the CPT, is continuing to press the DfT for clearer guidance to be issued to venues and attractions to ensure that groups arriving by coach will continue to be accepted and we will keep you updated in this regard.

For further advice, contact Backhouse Jones’ Regulatory team on 01254 828300 or regulatory@backhouses.co.uk.