But what does that mean in practical terms?

  • All current Coronavirus restrictions remain in place
  • Businesses and shops to remain open.
  • No visitors to your home or garden, unless within your bubble.
  • Pubs remain open but you must stay within your household or bubble
  • Further openings planned for August have been put on hold.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said "households gathering and not abiding by the social distancing rules" was a reason for the decision, which had been taken in order to "keep the country safe".

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said there had been a "marked change" in the spread of the virus across the area.

"We have gone from a falling rate of cases in nearly all of our boroughs last week to a rising rate in nine out of ten affecting communities across a much wider geography," he said.