Updated Wednesday 18 November
New national restrictions from 5 November
From Thursday 5 November until Wednesday 2 December, the government is taking the following action to control the spread of Covid-19.
- Stay at home, except for specific purposes.
- Do not mix with people you do not live with, except for specific purposes.
- Certain businesses and venues must close.
Detailed information about the new national restrictions is available on GOV.UK.
Anyone who is clinically extremely vulnerable should follow additional government guidance. Others in their household do not need to follow the extra guidance.
From Thursday 5 November the national restrictions replace the previous local restrictions in our city.
We will be updating our website with changes to our services following the new restrictions.
Request help
Find help with shopping, collecting prescriptions and other support. Apply for Self-Isolating payments.
Covid-19 key statistics
Find information and graphs for Brighton & Hove. Read our weekly statement.
Service updates
Find out what services have changed since we moved to the new national restrictions and which ones are staying the same.
Supporting your wellbeing
Find guidance to help you look after yourself and your loved ones during the pandemic.
Stay at home
You must not leave or be outside of your home except for specific purposes. These include:
- for childcare or education, where this is not provided online
- for work purposes, where your place of work remains open and where you cannot work from
- home (including if your job involves working in other people’s homes)
- to exercise outdoors or visit an outdoor public place - with the people you live with, with your support bubble or, when on your own, with one person from another household (children under school age, as well as those dependent on round-the-clock care, such as those with severe disabilities, who are with their parents will not count towards the limit on two people meeting outside).
- for any medical concerns, reasons, appointments and emergencies, or to avoid or escape risk of injury or harm - such as domestic abuse
- shopping for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, which should be as infrequent as possible
- to visit members of your support bubble or provide care for vulnerable people, or as a volunteer
This list is not exhaustive and there are other limited circumstances where you may be permitted to leave or be outside of your home. These will be set out in law and further detailed guidance will be provided by the government.
Covid-19 testing for residents
If you have any symptoms of coronavirus you should immediately self isolate and book a test.
If you need to access Covid-19 testing, the NHS website will give you a list of the current sites operating in your local area on the day you need it. All tests must be pre-booked.
We have two local testing sites in the city. One at the former Kings School site on Mile Oak Road in Portslade and one at East Brighton Park. You can walk or cycle to either of these local testing sites but you must have booked your test in advance.
Mobile testing units are also available at different sites across the city and there is a large testing site you can drive to at Plumpton Racecourse.
Covid-19 testing for frontline key workers
You can book a test using the Government self-referral portal.
The Government has also published a guide for using the self-referral portal.
Service changes
We are working hard to keep council services operating during the pandemic. Many face to face services are currently suspended, however you can contact services by phone, email and via the website.
Council customer service centres
- Customer service centres are closed.
- Hove Town Hall civic reception is closed
- Brighton Town Hall is only open to registrars and the Local Land Charges Personal Search Terminal
Our switchboard is operating a reduced service.
See our service updates page for more information.
Report a business
If you think that a business is a serious risk to public health because they are not following current government guidelines, you can report it to Trading Standards.
Report an individual
If you think that a person is not following government guidelines, you can report it to Sussex Police
You should only report something if you think there is a serious breach of the rules like a large gathering of people obviously from lots of different households.
Privacy notice
Read our COVID-19 privacy notice for information on how we collect, store and process your data.