Police release list of 'reasonable excuses' for people to go outside during lockdown

17 April 2020, 07:51 | Updated: 17 April 2020, 13:46

The three-page document was released by National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing.

Police have shared a list of conditions under which people in England can leave home, which bans 'home-working' in parks and leaving the house to buy paint to decorate your house, according to a report by Sky News.

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The three-page document, which is titled: "what constitutes a reasonable excuse to leave the place where you live", was designed to help police enforce the lockdown measures put in place by the government.

It was released by National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing, and this is the first time it has been made public.

A spokesperson said, according to LBC, that the information was put together so officers and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) are "joined up", adding: "This isn't new national guidance and the messaging for the public hasn't changed."

Gov.uk guidelines on leaving the house during lockdown

Shopping

It says that leaving the house to buy several days' worth of food and alcohol is likely to be legal, and you are also able to buy a small amount of an essential item (like milk) and collect surplus food from a friend.

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Buying tools to repair a fence damaged in bad weather is fine, but leaving your house to purchase paint to decorate your house isn't.

Exercise

You are allowed to go for a run or cycle, practice yoga, walk in the countryside or in cities, and attend an allotment.

People are also allowed to drive to the countryside and walk, but only when more time is spent walking than driving.

It is also permitted to stop to rest and eat lunch while on a long walk.

You are not allowed to drive for a long period of time with no reasonable excuse, and walking a short walk to a park bench and staying there is also not permitted.

Work

When it comes to work, key workers are allowed to leave home to travel there.

Non-key workers can also travel to work if they cannot work from home.

You are allowed to deliver food packages to vulnerable people.

People are not allowed to go to parks to work, or knock on doors offering to do cash-in-hand work.

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Other reasons to leave home:

You can also move to a friend's to 'cool-off' for a few days if you had an argument with someone at home, go to the vet if your pet needs essential treatment, and provide support to vulnerable people.

People cannot go to the vet for a prescription that cannot be sorted over the phone, or visit a friend at their home or in public to socialise.

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