Nearly 30,000 people live alone in Northampton...so the creation of 'support bubbles' is a welcome relief

Elderly people living alone in Northampton were able to hug their grandchildren and separated couples were finally reunited yesterday, Saturday, as Government restrictions were eased even further.

Single adult households in England are now able to form a “support bubble” with another household, in a move to make lockdown more bearable for those who live alone.

And it was welcome news for the 29,500 people living on their own in Northampton, who will soon be able to enjoy more social contact with friends and loved ones.

The figure shows the estimated number of single-person households in the area recorded by the Office for National Statistics in 2018 – the latest available data.

The new plan, announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson at a Downing Street press conference last week, allows adults living alone or single parents with children aged under 18 to mix with one other household.

They would then be allowed to interact as though they were one household, spend time together indoors, not follow the two-metre rule and stay overnight.

Although officials admitted the measure would not benefit everyone, it is targeted at those who had been left isolated by the current lockdown restrictions.

As of today, Sunday, children in single-parent households could see one set of grandparents, and a grandparent living alone would be allowed to visit the house of their child and grandchildren.

However, the move would not allow a couple to visit both parents as neither household would comprise a single adult.

Couples who have been kept apart in lockdown will also be reunited, as long as they are both currently living alone.

Announcing the new measure, Mr Johnson said: “We are making this change to support those who are particularly lonely as a result of lockdown measures.

"I want to stress that support bubbles must be exclusive, meaning you cannot switch the household you are in a bubble with or connect with multiple households."