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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/10/support-bubble-plan-lets-single-parents-in-england-combine-households
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| 'Support bubble' plan lets people living alone in England combine households | 'Support bubble' plan lets people living alone in England combine households |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Boris Johnson announces easing of restrictions for single parents and people living alone | Boris Johnson announces easing of restrictions for single parents and people living alone |
| About 11 million people living alone or as single parents will be allowed to combine with another household to form a “support bubble” in England, Boris Johnson has said. | About 11 million people living alone or as single parents will be allowed to combine with another household to form a “support bubble” in England, Boris Johnson has said. |
| The prime minister announced the new easing of social restrictions at his daily press conference in a move to alleviate loneliness among adults struggling on their own. | The prime minister announced the new easing of social restrictions at his daily press conference in a move to alleviate loneliness among adults struggling on their own. |
| The guidelines will apply from midnight on Saturday, meaning some grandparents will be able to hug their grandchildren for the first time and some couples can be reunited. | The guidelines will apply from midnight on Saturday, meaning some grandparents will be able to hug their grandchildren for the first time and some couples can be reunited. |
| The new rules will mean single parents and children under 18 that they live with, as well as single adults living alone, can go inside one other household and even stay overnight without maintaining physical distancing. | The new rules will mean single parents and children under 18 that they live with, as well as single adults living alone, can go inside one other household and even stay overnight without maintaining physical distancing. |
| A single-person household will be able to join together with a multi-person household, so a lone parent could, for example, visit their children’s grandparents in another part of England for help and stay for an extended period. | A single-person household will be able to join together with a multi-person household, so a lone parent could, for example, visit their children’s grandparents in another part of England for help and stay for an extended period. |
| It will also mean a couple who live apart can be together for the first time during the lockdown, if at least one of them lives alone. | It will also mean a couple who live apart can be together for the first time during the lockdown, if at least one of them lives alone. |
| However, any multi-person household will only be able to join with one single-person household, so it would mean hard choices for a group of people living together with partners who live alone elsewhere. | However, any multi-person household will only be able to join with one single-person household, so it would mean hard choices for a group of people living together with partners who live alone elsewhere. |
| It will also not apply to people told to shield, who are meant to be isolating until the end of June apart from being able to meet one other person outside their home. | It will also not apply to people told to shield, who are meant to be isolating until the end of June apart from being able to meet one other person outside their home. |
| If any member of the support bubble developed coronavirus symptoms, all the members would have to follow the normal advice on household isolation. | If any member of the support bubble developed coronavirus symptoms, all the members would have to follow the normal advice on household isolation. |
| Explaining the new rules, Johnson said: “We are making this change to support those who are particularly lonely as a result of lockdown measures. | Explaining the new rules, Johnson said: “We are making this change to support those who are particularly lonely as a result of lockdown measures. |
| “It’s a targeted intervention to limit the most harmful effects of the current social restrictions. | “It’s a targeted intervention to limit the most harmful effects of the current social restrictions. |
| “It is emphatically not designed for people who don’t qualify to start meeting inside other people’s homes, because that remains against the law.” | “It is emphatically not designed for people who don’t qualify to start meeting inside other people’s homes, because that remains against the law.” |
| There were 8.2 million people living alone last year and 2.9 million lone parent households, according to the Office for National Statistics. | There were 8.2 million people living alone last year and 2.9 million lone parent households, according to the Office for National Statistics. |
| “We would want to make sure that people who have been suffering from loneliness, and have been unable to see their families for a long time, the rest of their families, are able to do that,” Johnson added. | |
| The news is likely to be met with relief from people who live alone but frustration among others who will still not be able to meet loved ones unless physically distancing outside in groups of up to six. | The news is likely to be met with relief from people who live alone but frustration among others who will still not be able to meet loved ones unless physically distancing outside in groups of up to six. |
| Officials admitted the measure was not going to benefit everyone but was targeted at those who had been left isolated by the lockdown restrictions. | Officials admitted the measure was not going to benefit everyone but was targeted at those who had been left isolated by the lockdown restrictions. |
| The government has been criticised for prioritising the reopening of the economy, including zoos, shops and outdoor cinemas, above people’s social contact with their families and the full return of schools. | The government has been criticised for prioritising the reopening of the economy, including zoos, shops and outdoor cinemas, above people’s social contact with their families and the full return of schools. |
| However, ministers and the scientific advisers have stressed that the biggest risk of transmission is within households rather than distanced workplaces, so they have been acting with caution to ease restrictions on families meeting each other. | However, ministers and the scientific advisers have stressed that the biggest risk of transmission is within households rather than distanced workplaces, so they have been acting with caution to ease restrictions on families meeting each other. |
| One exemption to the exclusivity rule will be that parents who are separated can continue to move children between households, so the children of separated parents could potentially be in two separate support bubbles – one bubble for each parent. | One exemption to the exclusivity rule will be that parents who are separated can continue to move children between households, so the children of separated parents could potentially be in two separate support bubbles – one bubble for each parent. |