Support bubbles will be widened when tier lockdowns return on December 2

The move will benefit couples such as Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiancee Carrie Symonds, whose son Wilfred was born on April 29.

A new three-tier system will come into force at the end of England’s second national lockdown on December 2.

The expansion of the eligibility of the support bubble – an exclusive close support network between two households – was announced in the Government’s Covid-19 winter plan on Monday.

It means people can have close contact with anyone from a second household as if they were members of their own.

“The Government is expanding eligibility of ‘support bubbles’ to help limit transmission while also mitigating the worst impacts of the restrictions on parents of children aged under one (or under five, but with a disability that necessitates continuous care) and for those households where a single adult cares for someone with such a disability,” it says.

According to the plan, a household can form a support bubble with another if at least one has a child under the age of one, or a child under the age of five with a disability that requires continuous care – regardless of how many other adults are in the household.

A support bubble can also be formed if at least one household has only one adult, including a household where any children are under the age of 18, and where there is only one adult carer living with other adults with a disability requiring constant care.

A “childcare bubble” – where one household links exclusively with another to provide informal childcare to a child or children aged 13 or under – can be formed.

The childcare can be provided in either of both homes from the two households.

Under Tier 3 rules, people must not interact with anyone outside their household or support bubble.

The government will announce the arrangements that will be in place over the Christmas period shortly.