People wearing protective face masks are seen arriving at Waterloo station, the busiest train station in the UK, during the morning rush hour, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in London, Britain, September 7, 2020. /Reuters
Social gatherings of more than six people will be banned from September 14 and fined if they fail to comply – with some exemptions – amid concern at rising infection rates, particularly among young people.
The number of cases in Britain has begun to rise sharply again in recent days. Although testing is more widespread and the number of people in hospital is well below the peak of the outbreak, ministers fear it is beginning to slip out of control.
British government also unveiled a new public information campaign entitled "Hands. Face. Space", to emphasize the importance of hand washing, face coverings and social distancing.
"We need to act now to stop the virus spreading," the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, ahead of a press conference on Wednesday where he will explain the changes.
The previous limit on the number of people who could socialize together was 30.
There were 2,460 new infections reported on Tuesday, 2,948 on Monday and 2,988 on Sunday – a sharp rise from levels of around 1,000 per day in August and attributed to high transmission among young people.
Johnson's office said medical and scientific advisers had agreed that "urgent action is needed," while police had also asked for the rules to be simplified.
The government currently says people must not socialize outside in a group of more than six people from different households, but the law actually puts that limit at 30 in private spaces.
From Monday, this will be reduced to six, except for large families, weddings, funerals, organised team sports, workplaces and educational settings.
People queue to undertake a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) test at a walk-in test facility in Bolton, Britain, September 7, 2020. /Reuters
Restricted opening hours
Earlier Tuesday, the government imposed tougher restrictions on Bolton in northwest England after a "very significant rise" in coronavirus cases.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said contact tracing data had shown this was "partly due to socialising by people in their 20s and 30s."
After identifying a number of pubs as hotspots, he announced curbs on hospitality venues, including reduced opening hours, and a ban on locals socializing with people outside their household.
The latest targeted local restrictions come as the government tries to get the economy moving again after months of lockdown imposed in late March.
It has encouraged people to go back to work and use a government-subsidized restaurant scheme to boost revenues for eateries hit hard by the shutdown.
Critics say such measures have only exacerbated infection rates as young people in particular head out to pubs with scant regard for social distancing.
Hancock warned that although younger people were less likely to develop serious forms of COVID-19, they could easily pass it to those more vulnerable, particularly the elderly.
(With input from agencies)