COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented and poses a great many questions on how to deal with everyday issues.  Licensing is no exception and we will use this page to bring together articles and other information which may assist licensing practitioners during this period. 

You can also view all news article on the news pages and view this news summary.

View all FAQs here.

The COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented and poses a great many questions on how to deal with everyday issues.  Licensing is no exception and we will use this page to bring together questions and answers which may assist licensing practitioners during this period. 

The IoL has put together some of the FAQs concerning licensing services during the COVID-19 pandemic.  We will endeavour to keep this document updated.

View Licensing Issues: FAQs

You can also view all news article on the news pages and view this news summary.

IoL Guidance

• IoL Protocol for licence applications & hearings under the Licensing Act 2003 during the COVID-19 pandemic (update 4, published 28 April 2020)

Useful Links

• Closing businesses and venues - guidance and designation letters (updated)
• NHS test and trace: workplace guidance 
• Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19) - Guidance for shops and branches
• Guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer public places – urban centres and green spaces
• Our plan to rebuild: The UK Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy Published 11 May 2020
• LGA Note on approaches to managing licensing during the COVID-19 pandemic  (updated 17 April 2020)
• Ministerial letter from Kit Malthouse MP, Minister of State for Crime and Policing, to Chairs of Licensing Committees dated 8 April 2020. 
• The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020
• Coronavirus Act 2020
• MHCLG letter to local authority CEOs explaining regulations made under the Coronavirus Act
• Civil Court guidance on how to conduct remote hearings (England and Wales)
• Guidance for local authorities (COVID-19)

Guidance for the public

• Safer travel guidance for passengers
• Staying safe outside your home
• Guidance for the public on the phased return of outdoor sport and recreation in England
• Guidance on accessing green spaces safely
• Guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable
• Guidance: Staying alert and safe (social distancing) - replaces previous guidance: Staying at home and away from others (social distancing)
• Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can't do
• Answers to the most common topics asked about by the public for the coronavirus press conference
• Guidance: Staying safe outside your home - published 11 May 2020

England

• The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Business Closure) (England) Regulations 2020
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020

Scotland

• Information for individuals and businesses in Scotland
• Coronavirus (Scotland) Act
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions) (Scotland) Regulations 2020
• Coronavirus (COVID-19): business and social distancing guidance (Scotland)
• Coronavirus (COVID-19): framework for decision making - Scotland's route map through and out of the crisis

Wales

• The Local Authorities (Coronavirus) (Meetings) (Wales) Regulations 2020
• The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Wales) Regulations 2020
• Wales Coronavirus Regulations Guidance
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus: Closure of Leisure Businesses, Footpaths and Access Land) (Wales) Regulations 2020
• Wales Guidance on closure of businesses and premises
• Wales Staying at home and away from others guidance