Coronavirus: Local Coronavirus Regulations Tier 1
Plain-English digest of CPS prosecution 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 It may omit detail or fall out of date.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 prosecution guidance provides an overview of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Local COVID-19 Alert Level) (Medium) (England) Restrictions Regulations 2020, detailing the Tier 1 restrictions applicable in England, enforcement procedures, offences, and penalties associated with non-compliance. It gives information on gatherings, business closures, and exceptions to the restrictions given the ongoing pandemic situation. The guidance emphasizes the importance of referring to the relevant legislative timeframe when assessing alleged breaches.
Key points
- The Tier 1 restrictions limit gatherings to six individuals.
- Relevant persons can enforce restrictions through prohibition notices.
- Offences under the Regulations are summary only, with unlimited fines.
- Businesses must close if categorized under restricted services except for certain exceptions.
- Fixed penalty notices can be issued for offences under these regulations.
Public-interest factors
- Public health safety
- High incidence of serious illness and death due to COVID-19
- Nature of the breach and its circumstances
- Totality of the offending when linked to other offences
- Repeat offenders may warrant stricter penalties
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.