Losing the plot on support bubble rules....

Boris is doing another press conference at 4pm....it'll probably all change again ?

Well, my single support bubble moves in for the Christmas season later today. I am temporarily a loner, so she is moving in as much to support me as I to support her. All being well DH will be out of hospital by the New Year so she will be around to help look after the invalid in that first few days after discharge.We will all support each other like a runner bean wigwam.

Sorry that your husband will not be home with you for Christmas M0nica

I am finding it very hard to follow too.

Nicola (I'm in Scotland) has said we can join one other family as long as we can get there and back in a day, and not leave the country. I was intending to see my DD who lives c2 hours drive away but will stay overnight. I am a very recently bereaved widow so maybe an exception can be made for me?
Apparently there are police at the main railway stations and at the retail parks.

Wishing you all a happy Christmas, especially M0nica and your family.

Mark said two households plus a one member support household can meet up on Christmas Day only.

Does it depend which tier you are in in England, eg Herefordshire, IofW and Cornwall are in the lowest tier so the rules may be different.

I was under the impression that if eg like me, one is in tier 4 I am not allowed to visit anybody in another tier and it would appear we have been advised to stay in our own houses. That is where I will be so it makes no difference to me.

Grammaretto I agree it’s confusing here in Scotland too. Does your DD live in Scotland? If she does then the way I understand it is that because you’re recently widowed and presumably live on your own, then you can form an extended household with your DD as long as she’s not formed an extended household with anyone else. The extended household rules allow staying overnight. I apologise if I’m wrong and if I am then hopefully someone else will be along on here soon to explain more fully
Hope you manage to get something sorted out though at this difficult time ?

Thanks brook I hope that is so. She lives in Scotland and I am nervous enough driving in bad weather, on narrow roads or after dark without having to worry about being an outlaw.

I hope you get to see your DD grammaretto but please take care driving on those narrow roads especially if it’s icy or the weathers bad

Callistemom tiers 1,2,3 for Christmas Day only one family can meet with two others, not in tier 4.

Jaxjacky, thanks.

My DD from the north cannot now join with family on Xmas Day - so there will not be 13 there as previously planned. But I am still not sure whether to join those left - that will be 8 people with me makes 9. It is not so much the number of people, but what those people do - go to school, see all their mates, go to work etc. etc. So, whilst it might be within the rules, it may not be safe - the two do not correlate at all.

Unless they have isolated for the required time I think that may be wise, Luckygirl, especially if you feel uneasy about going.

Yes - that is my thinking too, even though we are in Tier One.
I had already resigned myself to Christmas on my own, barring a quick garden visit to exchange presents, and collect my lunch!

So I think I will stick with that.

I think, with all these confusing arrangements, who you see over Christmas depends not just on the rules, but on your visitor's background.

We decided before any recent announcement that DS and family would not visit us over Christmas, even if permitted, because DH is very vulnerable and, although DS and wife both work from home, they have two secondary school aged children, whose year groups have not had any covid cases, but other classes in the school have.

On the other hand DD lives alone and works from home and has not been doing any face-to-face socialising, socially distanced or not, except visiting us. She is our bubble, and has been since bubbling began in the summer. But, if we or she thought any of us was a COVID risk, we would not be bubbling at the moment.

This is to cover some of the exceptional circumstances that there will inevitably be. But probably most wont apply to you...so if you live alone you can go to another household (with their agreement) and live as if you’re in the same family as them. Eg no social distancing etc...If you need serious care, someone can visit you or you can ask for help from another person, if you’re in your own. The other issues you list, are for single parents, young adults, caters and those with serious disability.

Sorry. *on your own. And...*carers !

The message from HM government is for a very good reason to keep us all as safe as possible and not to overload the NHS.
We should all be making a few sacrifices this year to protect others as well as ourselves. One different christmas day will not make such a big difference if we all pull together for the common good.
So come on everyone get a grip on things and enjoy your christmas' in the best way that you can.
Hopefully next year will be different.
A very merry Christmas to you all.

As has been said - it does depend on tier. This tells all. www.gov.uk/coronavirus

I listened to a national phone in on Saturday morning and was amazed how many loopholes the ‘experts’ found to enable people to get together. It seems where there’s a will there’s a support bubble to suit.

Well said CaroleAnne

Can my cats be in my support bubble?

Grey areas, loopholes, extenuating circumstances, confusion ..... it has all been mentioned here. Luckygirl, just do what is right for you and yours with minimal risk. A garden visit sounds perfect!

"Live and let live", is my slogan this week.

If you are in a support bubble (eg adult living alone etc) then either of you are allowed to travel to any zone to be together, as I understand it. Essential travel is allowed, and supporting your bubble is essential - that is why bubbles became a thing in the first place.