This is the latest rolling weekly update covering the legislation and guidance on coronavirus COVID-19 during the week commencing 10 January 2021*.

Sunday 10 January to Saturday 16 January 2021

Law and Religion UK

• COVID-19: guidance for the safe use of places of worship. Updated version of guidance from MHCLG.
• Law and religion round-up – 10 January. Suspending public worship: – England; – Northern Ireland; and – Scotland. Continuing Public Worship – Wales.

Church of England

Last updated: Thursday 14 January, 11:52

Updated documents:

• COVID-19: Risk Assessment Template for Outdoor Worship, V2. This template has been created based on guidance from the Health and Safety Executive and is intended for use from 13 December 2021 for worship taking place outside. A separate risk assessment template is available for all indoor activities.
• COVID-19: Risk Assessment Template for Opening Church Buildings to the Public, V8. This update has been reviewed in the light of new guidance from the Health and Safety Executive and is intended for use from 13 January 2021. Risk assessments carried out using an earlier template may still be valid but should be reviewed regularly and checked against this latest version of the risk assessment.  (13 January 2021).

Update: Tuesday 12 January, 17:44

Updated documents:

• COVID-19 Advice on the Conduct of Public Worship, V2.8. Update. On the 5th January a new national lockdown came into effect. Note the change to the singing and music guidance in particular (18). Additional guidance has been added about providing lifts to those travelling to worship and with seating arrangements for those with mobility impairments (8 and 21). (12 January 2021).
• COVID-19 Advice on Individual Prayer by Members of the public in Church Buildings, V 6.1. Updates from version 6: This document has been reviewed following the announcement of the new national lockdown on the 4th January. (12 January 2021).
• COVID-19 Advice on the Administration of Holy Communion, V5.3. Updates from version 5.2: the document has been reviewed following the announcement of a new national lockdown on the 4th January, but has not been changed. (12 January 2021).
• COVID-19 Advice for Clergy Conducting Baptisms, V4.6. Updates from version 4.5: This guidance has been reviewed following the Government announcement of a new national lockdown on the 4th January. (12 January 2021).
• COVID-19 Advice for Conducting Funerals, V5.6, Updated concerning wakes and the burial of ashes to reflect the changes in the guidance. (12 January 2021).
• COVID-19 Advice on Ordinations and Consecrations, V4.5. Revised to take account of the new restrictions. (12 January 2021).
• COVID-19 Advice for the conduct of Confirmation services, V4.5. Reviewed following the announcement by the Government of a new national lockdown on the 4th January.(12 January 2021).
• COVID-19 Outdoor Worship and Churchyards V5.1. Revised to reflect the changes in the lockdown guidance. (12 January 2021).
• COVID-19: Opening cathedral and church buildings to the public, V6. Reviewed and edited to bring the advice in line with Government guidance.(12 January 2021).
• COVID-19 Advice on pastoral support in the community, including care homes, V2.1. Reviewed in the light of the new national lockdown announced on the 4th January. (12 January 2021).
• COVID-19 Receiving Holy Communion in both kinds by simultaneous administration, V1.2. Update from version 1.1: the document has been reviewed following the announcement of a new national lockdown on the 4th January, but has not been changed. (12 January 2021).
• Guidance for PCCs, incumbents and cathedral Chapters: opening church buildings for works to the building and interior. Guidance for PCCs, incumbents and cathedral Chapters: opening church buildings for works to the building and interior. (12 January 2021).
• COVID-19 Personal Risk Factors for Clergy, Church Workers and Volunteers risk factors to clergy, church workers and volunteers, V2.1. Reviewed in the light of the new national lockdown announced on the 4th January. (8 January 2021).

Updated:Tuesday 12 January, 10.01

Updated/New FAQ:

• Is singing permitted? (in Prayer and worship) – further update in light of amended Government Guidance. [Note: Government guidance was amended twice on 11 January 2021].

Monday 11 January, 14.50

Updated/New FAQ:

• Is singing permitted?  – further update in light of amended Government Guidance (in Prayer and worship)
• Should I work if I’m clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV)? (in Safety, safeguarding & wellbeing)

Diocese of Oxford

• 15 January: Coronavirus latest. (15 January 2021)§

Other churches and faith organizations

Legislation

England

• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel)(England) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2021, SI 2021/49, and Explanatory Memorandum. These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (England) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/568 to remove all countries, territories, regions and islands from the list of exempt places in Schedule A1, from which passengers arriving in England are not required to self-isolate. From 4.00 a.m. on 18th January 2021, anyone arriving in England from outside the common travel area will be required to self-isolate (by regulation 4 of the International Travel Regulations) unless specifically exempt.

This instrument also removes several exemptions from the requirement to self-isolate (in Schedule 2 to the International Travel Regulations) and amends the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (England) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2021, SI 2021/47 to remove an exemption that was due to come into force at 4.00 a.m. on 16th January 2021.

Scotland

• The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 12) Regulations 2021, SSI 2021/17 and Policy Note. Strengthening of lockdown restrictions as in Guidance below. Regulations come into force on 16 January 2021, apart from Regulations 4, 5, 6 and 14  which come into force on 22 January 2021.

Isle of Man

• Public Health Act 1990 Statutory Documents. Secondary legislation made under the Public Health Act 1990.
• Consolidated Secondary Legislation including COVID 19 (Coronavirus) Legislation, Scroll down.

Guidance

England

• Travel advice: coronavirus (COVID-19). Guidance for British people travelling overseas during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, if they are legally permitted to travel internationally. (16 January 2021).
• COVID-19: guidance for arranging or attending a funeral during the coronavirus pandemic. Updated guidance for the period of national lockdown. DHSC ad PHE. (13 January 2021).
• COVID-19: guidance for the safe use of places of worship. MHCLG. (11 January 2021).
• Powers for local authorities. College of Policing. (8 January 2021).
• Tier 4 National lockdown. College of Policing. (8 January 2021).
• Table of COVID-18 lockdown regulations, Adam Wagner. (12 January 2021).

Scotland

• Strengthening lockdown restrictions. Scottish Government, 13 January 2021.
•  Coronavirus (COVID-19): stay at home guidance
• Coronavirus (COVID-19): local protection levels
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: First Minister’s statement 13 January 2021

Wales

• Alert level 4: frequently asked questions. Welsh Government. (13 January 2021).

Other guidance

RSCM

• COVID-19: Guidance for Safe Group Music-making in Church: UPDATE: This information was updated and revised on 11th January following announcement of a national Lockdown.

Post last updated, Saturday 16 January at  15:52.

*Information on COVID-19 on L&RUK

These updates are published at the start of each week; they are not reissued, but new items are added throughout the week as they become available, providing a “rolling update” of the latest developments during the current week. They are also added to COVID-19 Coronavirus: legislation and guidance which is  the main source of  information; those items in the weekly updates yet to be added are marked “§“.  The updates for the earlier weeks are here.

‡Church of England documents

For Church of England documents, the information on the document itself – date and version number – provides the best indication of the date on which it was issued

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