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Coronavirus: Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020

Plain-English digest of CPS prosecution guidance.

All CPS guidance

AI-generated summary — not verbatim. This is a plain-English digest, not the official CPS text. It may omit detail or fall out of date. Do not rely on it for a charging decision — read the full guidance on cps.gov.uk and check the current legislation.

This document provides prosecution guidance concerning the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020, which came into force on March 26, 2020. The guidance details key provisions including restrictions on movement and gatherings, closure of premises, and related offences. It aims to assist prosecutors in understanding the regulations and the amendments made throughout the enforcement period.

Key points

  • The Regulations are enforceable until specified expiry dates.
  • Prosecutors must consider amendments to the Regulations.
  • Prohibition notices can be issued for violations.
  • Offences can lead to fixed penalty notices or charges.
  • Public interest should be considered in each case.
  • Reasonable excuse defences can be valid under ECHR commitments.

Public-interest factors

  • Public health mitigation
  • Impact on community wellbeing
  • Prevention of serious illness or death
  • Consistency in enforcement
  • Severity and nature of the offence
Breach of closure requirementsBreach of business activity restrictionsFailure to comply with movement restrictionsGathering without reasonable excuseObstruction of enforcement authorityFailure to comply with prohibition notices
Read the full guidance on cps.gov.uk
Reviewed by the BlueLineHub Editorial Team
Last reviewed: 22 June 2022 · Next review due: 22 December 2022

This is a factual digest of guidance published by the Crown Prosecution Service. Digested 2026-07-15. BlueLineHub is independent and not affiliated with the CPS.