Staffordshire & Cheshire to continue with current restrictions.

It means Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent will remain in Tier 3 restrictions during the Christmas break whilst Cheshire sticks with the lesser Tier 2 restrictions.

Just in case you need a recap, here's what the rules mean in your area:

Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent

Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent will stay in 'Very High Alert'.

This is the strictest level of restrictions and means that you must not meet socially indoors or in most outdoor places with anybody you do not live with or is in your support bubble - that includes in a private garden and most outdoor venues.

The 'Rule of Six' still applies in some other outdoor spaces like parks, beaches, countryside accessible to the public, a public garden, grounds of a heritage site or castle, or a sports facility.

Hospitality settings such as bars, pubs, cafes, and restaurants must close but can continue to do click and collect, takeaway, delivery or drive-through services.

Accomodation such as B&B's, hotels, campsites and guest houses must shut. There are exceptions for people who use these venues as their main residence.

Indoor entertainment and tourist venues must shut, that includes: indoor play areas, casinos, bingo halls, bowling alleys, skating rinks, amusement arcades, laser quests and escape rooms, cinemas, theatres, concert halls, snooker halls.

Indoor attractions and mostly outdoor entertainment venue must also close, like: zoos, safari parks, model villages, museums, galleries, botanical gardens, greenhouses, theme parks, circuses, fairgrounds, funfairs, film studios, heritage sites and stately homes, and landmarks with observation decks.

Leisure and sports facilities can stay open but group classes should be cancelled. Elite sporting events can continue but without spectators.

Organised outdoor sport can continue however higher-risk contact activity should not take place.

Large outdoor events, with the exception of drive-in events, should be cancelled.

Places of worship remain open but you shouldn't socialise with people from outside your household or bubble while you are there.

Weddings are back on but limited to 15 people, while funerals have a maximum capacity of 30.

You can continue to travel to venues or amenities which are open but you should aim to reduce the number of journeys you make where possible.

You should also avoid travelling to other parts of the UK, including for overnight stays other than where necessary, such as for work, education, youth services, to receive medical treatment. You can travel through other areas as part of a longer journey.

Cheshire East & Cheshire West & Chester

Cheshire East & Cheshire West & Chester will stay in 'High Alert'.

You can't socialise with anyone you do not live with or who is not in your support bubble in any indoor setting, whether that's your home or a public space.

You can meet outdoors but only as long as the 'Rule of Six' is followed.

Businessnes and venues can stay open as long as they operate in a covid-secure way.

Pubs and bars have to close though unless they're operating as restaurants, and then they can only serve alcohol with substantial meals.

Hospitality businesses who are serving food and drink must provide table service only, and follow the 11pm curfew (10pm last orders) rule.

People selling food for delivery, click and collect, or drive-through can carry on after 10pm.

People can start going to outdoor and indoor events again but capacity is limited. It's restricted to whichever is lower: 50% capacity, or either 2,000 people outdoors or 1,000 indoors. Those same capacity restrictions apply to spectator sports.

Places of worship remain open but you shouldn't socialise with people from outside your household or bubble while you are indoors there.

Weddings are back on but limited to 15 people, while funerals have a maximum capacity of 30.

Organised outdoor sport, and physical activity and exercise classes can continue. Organised indoor sport and classes will only be allowed if people can avoid mixing with people they don't live with. There are exceptions for supervised indoor sport for under-18s.

You can continue to travel to venues and amenities which are open but are encouraged to reduce the number of journeys you make where possible.

If you live in a tier two area you must continue to follow tier two rules if you travel to a tier one area. The advice is to avoid overnight stays in tier three areas.

Christmas Bubbles

There are however exceptions to some of these rules on socialising from the 23rd of December.

From the 23rd to the 27th of December the government is allowing people to form a 3 household 'Christmas bubble'.

It must be the same three households for the entire four day period. The government also says you should stop all unnecessary social contact at least five days before forming the bubble (Friday 18th December).

The government say: "The scientific advice is clear that the longer you meet others for, the higher the risk of you catching and spreading the virus. You should minimise the time you spend with your Christmas bubble and should not stay overnight unless absolutely unavoidable."

"You cannot meet your Christmas bubble before the 23 December or after the 27 December. The five day period is a window of opportunity and should be seen as a legal maximum, not a target. A smaller Christmas is a safer Christmas, and a shorter Christmas is a safer Christmas."