Here’s the latest advice (1 August 2020) from the Government on where and when to wear a face covering in England, including the expansion of places where they need to be worn from 8 August onwards.
In England, you must wear a face covering by law in the following settings:
- public transport
- indoor transport hubs (airports, rail and tram stations and terminals, maritime ports and terminals, bus and coach stations and terminals)
- shops and supermarkets (places which are open to the public and that wholly or mainly offer goods or services for retail sale or hire)
- indoor shopping centres
- banks, building societies, and post offices (including credit unions, short-term loan providers, savings clubs and money service businesses)
You are expected to wear a face covering immediately before entering any of these settings and must keep it on until you leave.
For members of the public, from 8 August the places where you will have to wear a face covering will be expanded to include:
- funeral directors
- premises providing professional, legal or financial services
- cinemas
- theatres
- bingo halls
- concert halls
- museums, galleries, aquariums, indoor zoos or visitor farms, or other indoor tourist, heritage or cultural sites.
- nail, beauty, hair salons and barbers – other than where necessary to remove for treatments
- massage parlours
- public areas in hotels and hostels
- place of worship
- libraries and public reading rooms
- community centres
- social clubs
- tattoo and piercing parlours
- indoor entertainment venues (amusement arcades, funfairs, adventure activities e.g. laser quest, go-karting, escape rooms, heritage sites etc)
- storage and distribution facilities
- veterinary services.
- auction houses
Face coverings should be worn in indoor places not listed above where possible, especially if it is a place where you may come in to contact with people you do not usually meet.
The government recommends face coverings are worn in these settings now but this will not be mandatory until 8 August.
Face coverings are also needed in NHS settings, including hospitals and primary or community care settings, such as GP surgeries. They are advised to be worn in care homes. Individual settings may have their own policies and require you to take other measures.
Where this law does not apply
Face coverings are not required in restaurants with table service, bars, and pubs.
