Prime Minister Boris Johnson says that further adjustments to lockdown will be made from Monday including allowing households to meet in a garden.

Mr Johnson told the daily Downing Street press conferences on Thursday that all five of the Government’s tests for easing the lockdown can be met, so adjustments can begin being made in England on Monday.

“I cannot and will not throw away all the gains we’ve made together and so the changes we’re making are limited and cautious,” said Mr Johnson.

“It’s thanks to the caution you’ve shown so far that all five met are being met.

“The result is that we can move forward with adjusting the lockdown in England on Monday.”

One of the adjustments set to take place is the permitting of different households to congregate in the same garden.

Mr Johnson said from Monday groups of up to six people can meet in private gardens “provided those from different households continue to stick to social distancing rules” by staying two metres apart.

He added that people should “try to avoid seeing too many households in quick succession so we can avoid the risk of quick transmission from lots of different families and continue to control the virus”.

“It remains the case that people should not be inside the homes of their friends and families, unless it is to access the garden,” said Mr Johnson.

“I should add that, at this stage, I am afraid that those who have been asked to shield themselves should continue to do so.”

Mr Johnson said the Government is “looking carefully at how we can make your life easier”, adding: “We want to say more on that soon.”

The PM said guidance on the changes will be published, adding: “Inevitably there may be some anomalies, or apparent inconsistencies, in these rules - and clearly what we’re proposing is still just a fraction of the social interaction each of us would normally enjoy.

“I know many of you will find this frustrating and I am sorry about that. But I’m afraid it is unavoidable, given the nature of the invisible enemy we are fighting.”

The Prime Minister also said that the re-opening of schools to pupils in reception years 1 and 6 as well as nursery students would also be going ahead as planned.