Since 19 July, we have been at step 4, the last step of the Government’s roadmap out of the lockdown restrictions imposed in January 2021. This means that most restrictions have been lifted. Below, you will find an outline of the current rules. This includes the exemptions that apply to autistic people and their families, as well as helpful advice around areas like self-isolating or what to do if you are clinically extremely vulnerable. 

Please see the Government Guidance for more information. 

From 19 July 

•    All venues that were closed, such as nightclubs, have been allowed to re-open.  

•    Social distancing (amongst people who are not your close family or friends) has ended in the majority of cases.

•    Mask-wearing is now optional. In some spaces, such as GP practices, hospitals and care homes, face coverings are still required. The Government also says it expects people to wear one in indoor spaces when they are busy. Some shops and businesses also ask people to wear a face covering, apart from people who are exempt such as autistic people. Read more on our face coverings page.  
 

On 14 July, the Government also announced some easing to care home restrictions and the need to isolate on returning from care home visits. You can read more on our helping safe visits in and out of care homes page.

We know that some of these changes have been worrying to autistic people or brought about mixed emotions. Many people will be nervous about doing certain things again, so it’s important to only do what feels right for you or take small steps, like only socialising with one friend or meeting people outside. 

We will continue to keep our website up to date with future announcements.  

The rules in more detail

Exercising and seeing other households

• There is no longer a maximum number of people you can meet indoors or outdoors, or exercise with.
• Events such as larger performances and sporting events in outdoor venues are now able to take place at full capacity. 

Meeting larger groups

• Support groups that take place in person can now take place with any number of people. This includes but is not limited to many day services, as well as things like social groups. Please check with your day service to see if it is still open.
• Organised parent and child groups can meet with no restrictions on the number of parents or children. 
• There are no limits on the amount of people that can attend a funeral, and this will depend on how many the venue can accommodate.
• There is no limit on the number of people who can attend a wedding.

 Childcare, school, college or university

• Early years settings have remained open throughout lockdown.
• All colleges, primary and secondary schools opened to all pupils on 8 March. The Government has issued new guidance on twice-weekly testing in secondary schools and colleges, but students no longer have to wear face masks in classrooms and shared spaces. Exemptions apply to pupils who aren’t able to follow these rules on testing, which includes some autistic young people. 
• Higher education students at English universities have now all returned to face-to-face teaching. 

Businesses

• You can meet any number of people in a pub or restaurant.
• Non-essential shops and public buildings (e.g. libraries) are open.
• Close contact services such as hairdressers and salons are open.
• Gyms and leisure facilities are open.
• Venues such as community centres and halls are open.
• Self-contained accommodation such as campsites and holiday lets are open. 
• Supermarkets and other essential shops such as pharmacies and suppliers of building products remain open.
• Businesses providing repair services are open.
• Outdoor attractions and settings including outdoor hospitality venues, zoos and theme parks are open. 
• Museums, theatres and cinemas are open.

Work

• From 19 July, some people returned to their workplaces if they had not already done so. The Government encourages people to work from home if they can, so speak to your workplace to see what is possible for you. 
• The Coronavirus Retention Scheme (furlough scheme) has been extended until September 2021. Read more about changes to the benefits system and financial support on our page here.
• If you cannot go to work, for example because you are still shielding or have coronavirus, you may be eligible for Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit, or the Coronavirus Retention Scheme. Read more about this on our page.

Travel

• Overnight stays and holidays  in the UK with any number of people are allowed.
• Some international travel is allowed in line with England’s travel restrictions. Check the Government’s website to see what is required of you if you visit a different country, as part of the UK’s red, amber and green rules.
• Currently, you must have proof of a negative coronavirus test to travel back to England when you are turning from abroad. You must take a test even if you’re fully vaccinated, are travelling from a country on the green list and/or are a UK citizen. This means you must book and take any tests you need when you arrive in England.
• You will need to find a private test provider to take a test before travelling to England. NHS tests cannot be used. Where possible, the Government travel advice pages provide information about finding a testing provider.
• From 4am Monday 4 October, the rules for international travel will change. The red, amber, green traffic light system will change to a single red list of countries and more simple rules for arrivals from the rest of the world. The rules for arriving from somewhere not on the red list will depend on your vaccination status.

From Monday 4 October – if you are fully vaccinated:

• From this date, if you are fully vaccinated at least 14 days before you arrive in England, you will no longer need to take a pre-departure test, take a day 8 test or quarantine at home for 10 days after you arrive in England.
• You will still have to book and pay for a day 2 test, to be taken on or before day 2 after your arrival in England, and complete a passenger locator form any time in the 48 hours before you arrive in England.
• For all these rules to apply, you must be able to prove that you have been fully vaccinated with a digital copy of your vaccine certificate (which can be found on the NHS app) or a paper-based document.

From Monday 4 October – if you are partially or not vaccinated:

• Before you travel to England, you must take a pre-departure test in the 3 days before you travel to England.
• You must also book and pay for day 2 and day 8 tests to be taken after arrival in England and complete a passenger locator form any time in the 48 hours before you arrive in England.
• After you arrive in England, you must quarantine at home or in the place you are staying for 10 days and take a test on or before day 2 and on or after day 8. You may be able to end quarantine early if you pay for a private test through the Test to Release scheme.

From Monday 4 October - travel from red countries:

• If you have been in a country on the red list in the last 10 days after this date, you will only be able to enter the UK if you are a British or Irish national or you have residence rights in the UK.
• Before you travel to England, you must take a pre-departure test in the 3 days before you travel to England, book a quarantine hotel package including 2 tests and complete a passenger locator form any time in the 48 hours before you arrive in England.
• These rules apply to everyone regardless of vaccination status.

You can read all the rules in more detail and check with countries are on the red list on the Government website.

Exemptions:

• Children aged 10 and under do not need to take a pre-departure test to travel to England. There are different age limits for other travel tests, so check the Government website.
• People who have a medical condition which means they cannot take a test are also exempt from taking a test before travelling to England. This may include autistic people who find tests stressful. A note from a GP or medical practitioner must be presented at check in and to Border Force staff on arrival in England. You can contact your GP to write this note for you to bring with you.
• The tests required are usually a PCR test, a LAMP test or an LFD test. If you, or the person you care for, usually finds tests difficult, there are more-autism friendly options available. For example, Chromonics provide a saliva-only PCR test which the Government has confirmed to us is approved for travel. 

Care homes

Care home residents have been able to have any number of visitors from 19 July, when the previous cap of up to five named visitors was removed.  You can read more about the rules around care homes on our Helping safe visits happen in care homes page.

• Care home residents no longer need to isolate on return from a visit out of their care home, including overnight stays. Care homes will need to conduct individual risk assessments to ensure visits out are not high risk.
• Where specific criteria are met, residents no longer need to isolate following admission to the care home from the community.  
• Residents admitted from hospital or another care home, or who return from any overnight stay in hospital should still isolate for 14 days. 
• All care home residents will be able to nominate an Essential Care Giver. Essential Care Givers are subject to the same Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and testing requirements as staff and should always be able to visit care homes, including during an outbreak

Read more about this on our helping safe visits in and out of care homes page.

Exemptions for autistic people

Here are specific exemptions for autistic adults and children:

•    Wearing a face covering is not compulsory but some businesses still ask people to wear one. Being autistic and finding wearing a face-mask distressing is included as a good reason not to. Find out more about the rules, and the exemptions on our face coverings page.

•    Staff and secondary school pupils are asked to test twice weekly at home, with LFD test kits, 3 to 4 days apart. Autistic students are exempt from taking these tests if they do not want to or if it would cause them distress. Read more in our education guidance.

NHS COVID Pass: Proving you’re unable to be vaccinated and/or tested

The NHS COVID Pass allows people to show their coronavirus vaccination records or test results. People might need to show their coronavirus status to:

•    work or volunteer in a care home from 11 November 2021, when vaccination will become mandatory except if you’re exempt
•    be exempt from self-isolating for 10 days if you are a close contact of somebody with a confirmed case of coronavirus
•    enter some venues and events in England that require the NHS COVID Pass as a condition of entry

Some people aren’t able to be vaccinated and/or tested for medical reasons.  You can apply for proof if this applies to you or someone you care for. People who get this proof will then be able to use the NHS COVID Pass wherever they need to prove their coronavirus status in England. A carer can apply on someone’s behalf.

Examples that might be reasons for a medical exemption are:

•    autistic people and/or people with learning disabilities, or people with a combination of impairments where vaccination cannot be provided through reasonable adjustments
•    people receiving end of life care where vaccination is not in their best interests
•    people with severe allergies to all currently available vaccines
•    people who had an adverse reaction to a first dose of a vaccine
•    people with short-term medical conditions and/or pregnant people (this will be a short-term medical exemption)

All exemptions will be provided by your doctor, specialist clinician or midwife. The NHS COVID Pass will look and work the same for people with medical exemptions as it does for people who are fully vaccinated, and will not show that someone has a medical exemption.

How to apply for and receive a COVID Pass medical exemption:

1.    Phone the NHS COVID Pass service on 119 to ask for an NHS COVID Pass medical exemptions application form. They will ask some questions including your name, date of birth, NHS number (if you know it) and the name of your GP and/or specialist clinician. If you are eligible, an application form will be posted to you.

2.    Complete the application form and return it to your GP or relevant clinician detailed on the form.

3.    You will then get the results of your application by post two to three weeks after applying. You don’t need to contact your GP or clinician unless they ask. 

If confirmed that you have a medical exemption, you will be able to access your NHS COVID Pass digitally, on the NHS app or the NHS website. You can download and save it as a pdf. 

The Government says the paper version of the pass will be available soon. You can read more information on the Government website.

It’s also important to remember that receiving an exemption does not mean someone is protected against coronavirus, so people should try to self-isolate if they have any symptoms.

Guidance for those who are clinically extremely vulnerable

Some people are at very high risk of getting very ill from coronavirus, because they have an underlying health condition. The Government refers to this group as ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’. You will have received a letter from the NHS or your GP if you are in this group. This group of people is no longer advised to ‘shield’ by staying at home. 

After 31 March, people were no longer able to receive Statutory Sick Pay because they are shielding. However, they are eligible for the Job Retention Scheme, which means their employer can 'furlough' them if they need to shield.

The Government also has said it is important for people to respect and be considerate of anyone who might want to take a more cautious approach as restrictions are lifted.  

You can read more in the Government guidance for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable. 

Guidance for people who are self-isolating

Government guidance says you'll need to self-isolate for at least 10 days if:

• you have symptoms or have tested positive for coronavirus
• someone you live with has symptoms or tested positive
• someone in your support bubble has symptoms or tested positive 
• you've been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace
• you have returned from a country on the Government's red or amber list, so check the Government’s rules for entering England from another country
• From Monday 16 August, people who have received both doses of the coronavirus vaccine or are under 18 years old will not need to isolate if they are identified as a close contact of someone with coronavirus. This means that if you are ‘pinged’ by the NHS Test and Trace app but have had both vaccine doses, or are under 18, you don’t have to isolate.
• It will still be a legal requirement to isolate if you test positive for coronavirus, regardless of vaccine status or age. 
• Self-isolating means that you cannot leave your house at all, to help stop the spread of the virus. While most autistic people will be able to follow these rules, we understand how difficult self-isolating is for some autistic people who do not understand the reasons behind this or cannot cope with not being outside for exercise as part of their routine. We have been raising this with Government and know that they have now added to their guidance to say that not all usual self-isolating measures will be possible if you, or those you live with, have conditions such as learning disabilities, autism or serious mental illnesses. They instead advise you to follow this guidance to the best of your ability, while keeping yourself and those close to you safe and well, ideally in line with any existing care plans. You can read more about self-isolating in the Government guidance.

Face coverings

Face coverings are optional in most places, but some businesses and public transport operators still ask people to wear one unless you have a good reason not to, one of which relates to being autistic. 

Find out more about the rules, and the exemptions on our face coverings page.

Interactions with the police

The police are making sure that people follow the rules about going outside, so if you go out and are finding it difficult to tell them that you or the person you support might be struggling, you might find it helpful to use an  I Am Autistic card.

What we’re doing

We are telling the Government about your experiences of the coronavirus outbreak so it knows what life is like for autistic people and their families. If you want to share your experiences, and any worries or concerns you have, with us by emailing stories@nas.org.uk.