But there's a warning that this will not be a normal, festive period, that the risks of transmission of covert 19 remain very riel.

Although details are still sketchy, the BBC has been told that households may be allowed to get together for five days tomorrow.

Boris Johnson is expected same or about a tougher system of tiered restrictions for England when it emerges from locked down on December the second, it's thought gyms across all three tiers are likely to be reopened.

Here's our deputy political editor, Vicky Young Anymore.

Christmas cheer, but not too much.

The prime minister has warned us that the festive season won't be normal.

But across the four nations of the UK, they've been trying to come up with a joint set of rules allowing families and friends to meet up.

It's not quite finalized.

But in a statement, the Cabinet office said there was a shared objective to allow some limited additional household bubbling for a small number of days.

But the public will be advised to remain cautious on wherever possible.

People should avoid traveling on minimize social contact.

But it's not just Christmas that ministers in England have to think about before that.

On December, the second national restrictions will end.

But with coronavirus still spreading, many measures will have to stay in place.

We will be going back into a more localized approach, a tiered system, which I think is enormously welcome.

So much trumpeted system.

Yes, I mean.

And what I think that what people should realize is we learn Maura's.

We go through this crisis, and we as we get more data, more information, we can see what works well, what doesn't and essentially evolve our response to make sure it's as effective as it could be.

After complaints from many scientists, the new Tears will be tougher than before on MAWR.

Areas will be in the higher levels to keep the virus under control.

But 70 of Boris Johnson's own MPs have written to tell him they won't vote for the system unless they see evidence that it will save more lives than it costs.

Labor want clarity as soon as possible?

You can't just open a restaurant, open a bar, start brewing beer getting ready for for after a national locked down overnight.

You know, you need some notice off that on all of us from Andy Burnham.

Everybody else remembers the public.

We need a clear understanding about what the criteria are going to be.

Across the UK, the rules on households mixing will be relaxed for Christmas.

Shoppers in London are giving that a cautious welcome.

I feel extracted because I miss my friends.

I miss my family so any opportunity will be so welcome.

How if it doesn't know that it's Christmas, so even if we couldn't, I would be okay, would not celebrating it if it meant saving more people's lives.

I think it'll be important to see kind of what the levels alike before Christmas.

But the idea of being able to celebrate family is obviously really nice.

But the risks from Kobe it haven't gone away.

Celebrations of Christmas could be followed by many more weeks of hardship.

Vic is here with me, Vicky.

There's a lot going on this week.

Just talk us through what we can expect.

Well, let's start with tomorrow.

The prime minister will go to the House of Commons to announce the details of the new tier system for England come into effect once that lock down ends on December 2nd.

Now we do know that all three tiers will be toughened up.

That's after complaints and lots of scientists saying, Actually, they weren't having much of an effect.

So that is likely to be bad news, I think, for pubs in that top Tier three, but Jim's and non essential retail so most shops will be expected to be allowed to reopen in all areas.

Ministers very conscious.

They've gone to great lengths to make them Kobe.

It's secure the 10 o'clock curfew for pubs and restaurants that will be abandoned.

Last orders will be a 10, for customers will have extra time an extra hour to drink up, then on Tuesday at the earliest.

Those arrangements for Christmas, which so many people very, very keen to hear about the promised.

I hope to do that tomorrow that has been delayed while Scotland and Wales actually sign off on this.

But I'm told the most likely option is three households being allowed to mix for up to five days over the Christmas period.

But just to be clear that is not being confirmed on.

There's also an announcement expected on possibility of shorter time for quarantine for travelers that also could come on Tuesday on then.

If you're in England, you have to wait till Thursday to find out which tier your area will be in and labor very clear.

They want to know what this is being decided on, what the criteria for why this is being decided, Prime Mister to getting a lot off stick from Some of his backbenchers who are unhappy at these restrictions on have actually said they will vote against it.

Vicky.

Many thanks, Vicky Younger.

So what's the likely impact of a return to the tiered system in England when locked down ends in 10 days time and which areas of the country are likely to see the highest levels off restrictions?

Health correspondent Dominic Hughes reports now from West Yorkshire.

It's been a busy Sunday in Heaven Bridge in West Yorkshire.

Those who could we're making the most of the chance to get out and about.

But even as the Christmas decorations are given a final touch for some businesses, the days to come are filled with uncertainty.

This place is my baby.

I'm worried that we're not gonna make it through locked down.

We can't plan anything.

We can't, you know?

Think ahead about all right.

Maybe in two weeks time, lock down could be lifted.

But there's also the chance that it might not be.

Before this latest locked down, the local council called Dale was poised to enter Tier three, but covert infection rates have remained stubbornly high.

So what's the right thing to do over Christmas?

I mean, look around.

You know, this is a market that in a time of locked down, people are desperate for connection.

People will be out meeting each other, and we have to find a balance, I guess, between covert restrictions and the well being and mental health of ah of our nation's.

It's very easy to focus on.

Christmas is the big family thing, and it is.

But one Christmas might not have a bigger deal for less Christmases in the future.

For some members of our families, this map shows the areas with the highest rates of co vid 19 infections in England, parts of the northwestern, north, east, east and West Yorkshire, north Lincolnshire and the East Midlands could well find themselves back in Tier three.

Meanwhile, parts of West and Central Scotland are already in the country's highest level of restrictions until December the 11th, and Northern Ireland is facing another two weeks of locked down from Friday, having just reopened some services, it's the pressure that hospitals like this one are under.

That is the rial source of concern.

They are busy.

And now I'm told that they were back in the spring during the first surge of co vid.

And there are concerns to over what the advice will be for people over Christmas.

I would like to see the right decisions being made based on the science.

I think it's more likely that will be able to get together at Christmas if people stick rigidly toe what's recommended at this stage.

I worry that with people breaching the recommendations that we're gonna be in this for the long haul.

Thank you Case.

Four nations have agreed more harmonized approach to allow some household mixing for a few days over Christmas.

Theo details are still to be worked out, but the worry is that many families were determined to get together to celebrate whatever the restrictions might be.