When and where you must wear a mask in Doncaster - and who's exempt

The new rules came into force this week – with retail workers and taxi drivers and their passengers now having to wear masks in a bid to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

There are plenty of other places where you must wear one – with some exemptions. Here’s all the latest rules.

When to wear a face covering

There are some places where you must wear a face covering by law. Different rules exist in different parts of the UK.

In England, you must wear a face covering in the following indoor settings

Public transport (aeroplanes, trains, trams and buses)

Taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs)

Transport hubs (airports, rail and tram stations and terminals, maritime ports and terminals, bus and coach stations and terminals)

Shops and supermarkets (places which offer goods or services for retail sale or hire)

Shopping centres (malls and indoor markets)

Auction houses

Premises providing hospitality (bars, pubs, restaurants, cafes), except when seated at a table to eat or drink.

Post offices, banks, building societies, high-street solicitors and accountants, credit unions, short-term loan providers, savings clubs and money service businesses

Estate and lettings agents

Theatres

Premises providing personal care and beauty treatments (hair salons, barbers, nail salons, massage centres, tattoo and piercing parlours)

Premises providing veterinary services

Visitor attractions and entertainment venues (museums, galleries, cinemas, theatres, concert halls, cultural and heritage sites, aquariums, indoor zoos and visitor farms, bingo halls, amusement arcades, adventure activity centres, indoor sports stadiums, funfairs, theme parks, casinos, skating rinks, bowling alleys, indoor play areas including soft-play areas)

Libraries and public reading rooms

Places of worship

Funeral service providers (funeral homes, crematoria and burial ground chapels)

Community centres, youth centres and social clubs

Exhibition halls and conference centres

Public areas in hotels and hostels

Storage and distribution facilities

You are expected to wear a face covering before entering any of these settings and must keep it on until you leave unless there is a reasonable excuse for removing it.

You should also wear a face covering in indoor places not listed here where social distancing may be difficult and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet.

Face coverings are needed in NHS settings, including hospitals and primary or community care settings, such as GP surgeries. They are also advised to be worn in care homes.

Premises where face coverings are required should take reasonable steps to promote compliance with the law.

The police can take measures if members of the public do not comply with this law without a valid exemption and transport operators can deny access to their public transport services if a passenger is not wearing a face covering, or direct them to wear one or leave a service.

If necessary, the police have enforcement powers including issuing fines of £200 (reduced to £100 if paid within 14 days) for the first offence.

Repeat offenders receiving fines on public transport or in an indoor setting will have their fines doubled at each offence.

After the first offence, there will be no discount. For example, receiving a second fine will amount to £400 and a third fine will be £800, up to a maximum value of £6,400.

When you do not need to wear a face covering

In settings where face coverings are required in England, there are some circumstances where people may not be able to wear a face covering. Please be mindful and respectful of such circumstances, noting that some people are less able to wear face coverings, and that the reasons for this may not be visible to others.

This includes (but is not limited to):

Children under the age of 11 (Public Health England does not recommend face coverings for children under the age of 3 for health and safety reasons)

People who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability

Where putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause you severe distress

If you are speaking to or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading, clear sound or facial expressions to communicate

To avoid harm or injury, or the risk of harm or injury, to yourself or others ‒ including if it would negatively impact on your ability to exercise or participate in a strenuous activity

Police officers and other emergency workers, given that this may interfere with their ability to serve the public

There are also scenarios when you are permitted to remove a face covering:

If asked to do so in a bank, building society, or post office for identification

If asked to do so by shop staff or relevant employees for identification, for assessing health recommendations (for example by a pharmacist), or for age identification purposes including when buying age restricted products such as alcohol

If required in order to receive treatment or services, for example when getting a facial

In order to take medication

If you are delivering a sermon or prayer in a place or worship

If you are the persons getting married in a relevant place

If you are aged 11 to 18 attending a faith school and having lessons in a place of worship as part of your core curriculum

If you are undertaking exercise or an activity and it would negatively impact your ability to do so

If you are an elite sports person, professional dancer or referee acting in the course of your employment

When seated to eat or drink in a hospitality premise such as a pub, bar, restaurant or cafe. You must put a face covering back on once you finish eating or drinking

The government’s guidance for keeping workers and customers safe during COVID-19 in restaurants, pubs, bars and takeaway services clearly advises that designated indoor seating areas for customers to eat or drink should at this time only be open for table service, where possible, alongside additional infection control measures.

Exemption cards

Those who have an age, health or disability reason for not wearing a face covering should not be routinely asked to give any written evidence of this, this includes exemption cards. No person needs to seek advice or request a letter from a medical professional about their reason for not wearing a face covering.

Some people may feel more comfortable showing something that says they do not have to wear a face covering. This could be in the form of an exemption card, badge or even a home-made sign.

This is a personal choice and is not necessary in law. However, there have been a number of instances of people using exemption cards to avoid wearing masks without reasonable excuse.

Staff in indoor settings

Face coverings must be worn by retail, leisure and hospitality staff working in areas that are open to the public and where they’re likely to come into contact with a member of the public.

This includes:

Shops

Supermarkets

Bars

Pubs

Restaurants

Cafes

Banks

Estate agents

Post offices

Public areas of hotels and hostels

If these businesses have taken steps in line with Health and Safety Executive guidance for COVID-19 secure workplaces to create a physical barrier between workers and members of the public then staff behind the barrier will not be required to wear a face covering.

For other indoor settings, employers should assess the use of face coverings on a case by case basis depending on the workplace environment, other appropriate mitigations they have put in place, and whether reasonable exemptions apply.

Transport workers

Transport workers are not required to wear a face covering by law. However, face coverings offer some benefits in situations where social distancing is difficult to manage. For example, when working in passenger facing roles including when providing assistance to disabled passengers.

Public health advice is that staff wear a face covering when they are unable to maintain social distancing in passenger facing roles, recognising that there will be exceptional circumstances when a staff member cannot wear a face covering, or when their task makes it sensible (based on a risk assessment) for them not to wear a face covering.