2 January – COVID-19 in the UK: A record high daily positive test figure is reported at 57,725, as the new strain of the virus continues to spread.[1]
4 January
COVID-19 in the UK:
In a televised address, Boris Johnson announces a new, third COVID-19 lockdown for England, with people ordered to stay at home, and all schools and colleges to switch to remote learning from 5 January. This is expected to last until at least mid-February.[2]
A new record high daily positive test figure is reported at 58,784.[3]
Most of England's primary schools reopen after the Christmas break, amid concerns over whether pupils should be returning during the current level of COVID infections. Most schools close again the following day.[6]
The Joint Biosecurity Centre recommends that the COVID-19 alert level is moved from 4 to 5, indicating a "material risk of healthcare services being overwhelmed".[7]
Nicola Sturgeon announces tougher restrictions for mainland Scotland to contain the new strain of the virus, implementing a stay-at-home order from midnight and delaying the return to school for pupils until February.[8]
The extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from the UK to the US is blocked by a court in London, due to concerns over his mental health.[9]
5 January – COVID-19 in the UK: The number of new daily confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the UK surpasses 60,000 for the first time since the pandemic began, at 60,916.[10]
6 January
COVID-19 in the UK:
Education SecretaryGavin Williamson announces that GCSE and A-Level exams in England this summer will be replaced by teacher assessments, telling MPs he would "trust in teachers rather than algorithms".[11]
Another record daily case figure is reported, with 62,322 new infections. The daily number of deaths from the virus exceeds 1,000 for the first time since April 2020.[12]
7 January – COVID-19 in the UK: Two anti-inflammatory medications, tocilizumab and sarilumab, are found to cut deaths by a quarter in patients who are sickest with COVID-19.[13]
8 January
COVID-19 in the UK:
A third vaccine is approved for public use, made by US company Moderna and offering 94% protection from the virus.[14]
A major incident is declared in London by mayor Sadiq Khan, stating that the spread of the virus is "out of control" in the capital.[15]
The highest number of daily deaths since the pandemic began is recorded at 1,325. A new record high daily positive test figure is reported at 68,053.[16]
Health SecretaryMatt Hancock tells the BBC that everybody in the top four most vulnerable groups will be offered a vaccine by 15 February, while every adult in the UK will be offered one by the autumn.[19]
11 January – Khairi Saadallah is sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of three men and the attempted murder of three others during a stabbing in Forbury Gardens in Reading in June 2020.[20]
13 January – COVID-19 in the UK: The highest daily death toll since the pandemic began is recorded, at 1,564.[21]
15 January – COVID-19 in the UK: Boris Johnson announces that the UK is to close all travel corridors from 18 January to "protect against the risk of as yet unidentified new strains" of COVID-19, forcing all passengers travelling to the UK to produce a negative test result.[23]
18 January – COVID-19 in the UK: Figures compiled by Our World in Data (OWID) show that the seven-day average for this week in the UK is the highest death rate per million population from COVID-19 of any country in the world after an average of 935 daily deaths were recorded, the equivalent of more than 16 people in every million dying each day from the virus.[24]
The highest daily death toll since the pandemic began is recorded, at 1,820.[29]
A record daily high of 363,508 people are given a COVID-19 vaccination, bringing the total number of first doses so far to 4,973,248 and 464,036 second doses.[30]
Arlene Foster announces that the lockdown in Northern Ireland will be extended to at least 5 March, adding that restrictions may have to remain in place until after the Easter holidays in April.[32]
Storm Christoph: Five "danger to life" flood warnings are put in place across North West England and Wales after hundreds of homes are evacuated overnight due to widespread flooding caused by heavy rain and snow.[33]
22 January
COVID-19 in the UK:
The R number is reported to have fallen to between 0.8 and 1 for the first time since the beginning of December 2020.[34]
The latest analysis of UK data suggests that the new viral strain may be up to 30% deadlier.[35]
25 January – Online retailer Boohoo acquires the Debenhams brand and website for £55m after the department store went into administration in April 2020, but it does not retain any of its stores, putting up to 12,000 jobs at risk.[37]
26 January – COVID-19 in the UK: Boris Johnson says he is "deeply sorry for every life that has been lost" as the number of deaths from COVID-19 in the UK exceeds 100,000.[38]
27 January
COVID-19 in the UK:
Boris Johnson confirms that schools in England will not be able to reopen to all pupils after the February half-term as planned, but could do so from 8 March "at the earliest".[39] He adds that he hopes a "gradual and phased" relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions can begin in early March.[40]
Home SecretaryPriti Patel announces that people travelling from "red list" countries considered to be COVID-19 hotspots will be required to quarantine in government hotels, while anyone wishing to travel abroad will need to prove that they are making an essential trip.[41]
28 January – COVID-19 in the UK: A third vaccine, Novavax, which will be manufactured in Stockton-on-Tees, is shown to be 89.3% effective against the virus in a two-dose regimen, following large-scale UK trials. 60 million doses are secured by the government.[42]
29 January – COVID-19 in the UK: A fourth vaccine, Ad26.COV2.S, is shown to be 66% effective against the virus in a one-dose regimen. With 30 million doses ordered, Matt Hancock tells reporters that it could "significantly bolster" the UK's vaccine programme if approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).[43]
30 January – COVID-19 in the UK: A record daily high of 598,389 people are given a coronavirus vaccination, bringing the total so far to 8,977,329.[44]
31 January – Flu cases are reported to have fallen by more than 95%, reaching the lowest levels seen in 130 years, believed to be due to the COVID-19 lockdown and new health habits.[45]
The government orders an extra 40 million doses of VLA2001, a vaccine from French biotech company Valneva SE, for availability later in the year and into 2022.[46]
Online retailer ASOS acquires the Topshop, Topman and Miss Selfridge brands for £330m, but does not retain any of the brands' 70 stores, putting 2,500 jobs at risk.[49]
2 February
COVID-19 in the UK:
Public Health England (PHE) says that the UK variant of COVID-19 has mutated again and that they are investigating "worrying" new changes. Tests show cases of the new strain have a mutation called E484K that is present in the South African variant.[50]
A study by the University of Oxford suggests that a single dose of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine could lead to a "substantial" fall in the transmission of COVID-19, and protection is 76% effective during the three months after the first dose is given, rising to 82% after a second dose.[51]
COVID-19 in the UK: Health SecretaryMatt Hancock confirms the government's "ambition" to offer all adults over the age of 50 a first COVID-19 vaccination by the end of May.[56]
One man is killed and ten people are injured after five stabbing incidents take place in the space of two hours in the London Borough of Croydon.[57]Metropolitan Police describe the stabbings as "needless and abhorrent" and say extra police officers will be deployed across south London.[58]
7 February
COVID-19 in the UK:
A not yet peer reviewed study by the University of Oxford suggests the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine offers minimal protection against mild disease from the South African variant of the virus but does protect against severe disease.[59] Oxford lead vaccine developer, Professor Sarah Gilbert, says a modified version of the vaccine capable of tackling the South African variant should be ready by the autumn, and that "efforts are underway to develop a new generation of vaccines that will allow protection to be redirected to emerging variants as booster jabs".[60]
The number of people receiving a vaccine dose in the UK exceeds 12 million.[61]
8–10 February – Snow and ice causes travel disruption across much of the country. A temperature of −17.1 °C is recorded in Altnaharra, Scotland, the lowest reading in the UK since December 2010.[62][63]
9 February
COVID-19 in the UK: The government announces tough new measures for travellers. UK and Irish residents returning from 33 red list countries will be charged £1,750 to quarantine in a government-sanctioned hotel for 10 days, with fines of up to £10,000 for those who fail to do so. A prison sentence of up to 10 years is to be introduced for those who lie on their passenger locator forms about visiting a red list country.[64]
10 February – David Wilson is sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for 96 sex offences against 51 boys, which he committed between May 2016 and April 2020.[66]
11 February
COVID-19 in the UK:
A study finds that the arthritis drug tocilizumab can reduce deaths from COVID-19, enough to save the lives of one in 25 patients admitted to hospital, and can reduce the need for a mechanical ventilator.[67][68]
The number of people receiving a vaccine dose in the UK exceeds 14 million.[69]
14 February – COVID-19 in the UK: The number of people receiving a vaccine dose in the UK exceeds 15 million.[75]
15 February – COVID-19 in the UK: Boris Johnson hails the vaccine rollout as an "unprecedented national achievement" and urges the public to remain "optimistic but patient" over the relaxation of restrictions, adding that an approach to exiting lockdown should be "cautious but irreversible".[76]
18 February – COVID-19 in the UK: Figures from Imperial College London's React study suggests that COVID-19 infections have dropped by two-thirds across England since lockdown began in January, with an 80% fall in London.[77]
The High Court rules that Matt Hancock "acted unlawfully by failing to comply with the Transparency Policy" and "breached his legal obligation to publish Contract Award Notices within 30 days" when awarding contracts during the COVID-19 pandemic.[80] Hancock explained the delay in publishing the contracts as being on average "just after a fortnight late", and reasoned it was "because my team were working seven days a week, often 18 hours a day, to get hold of the equipment that was saving lives".[81]
COVID-19 in the UK: Boris Johnson pledges to donate most of the UK's surplus vaccine supply to poorer countries.[82]
20 February – COVID-19 in the UK: As the number of people receiving their first vaccine dose exceeds 17 million, Boris Johnson announces he wants the programme to "go further and faster" by offering every adult in the UK their first jab by 31 July.[83]
22 February – COVID-19 in the UK: Boris Johnson unveils a four-step plan for ending lockdown restrictions in England by 21 June.[84] Subject to four tests on vaccines, hospitalisations and deaths, infection rates and new variants being met – the plan's first step will see the reopening of schools and colleges from 8 March.[85]
24 February – COVID-19 in the UK: Nicola Sturgeon unveils the Scottish Government's "cautious" approach to ending lockdown restrictions in Scotland, which includes a phased return for primary and secondary school pupils from 15 March.[86]
25 February – COVID-19 in the UK: The Joint Biosecurity Centre advises that the COVID-19 alert level is downgraded from 5 to 4, indicating that the threat of the NHS being overwhelmed is receding.[87]
2 March – COVID-19 in the UK: Arlene Foster and Michelle O'Neill unveil a "cautious and hopeful" plan for ending lockdown restrictions in Northern Ireland, but unlike England and Scotland there is no timetable for lifting measures.[94] Instead, a five-step plan covering nine different sectors is revealed, with progression based on key health criteria being met.[94]
3 March
Murder of Sarah Everard: a London woman is kidnapped, raped and strangled by a police officer.
COVID-19 in the UK:
Chancellor of the ExchequerRishi Sunak delivers his first budget since the pandemic began in which he commits an extra £65bn to "protect the jobs and livelihoods of the British people", including an extension to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme until the end of September,[95] but warns that future tax increases are needed to stop "irresponsible" mounting debt as it is confirmed government borrowing is expected to reach a peacetime record of £335bn in 2021.[96][97]
Figures from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast the economy to grow by 4% in 2021 and 7.3% in 2022, bringing it back to its pre-pandemic size by mid-2022.[98]
4 March – Amazon launches its first cashierless grocery store in the UK, which uses camera vision and sensors to automate the shopping process.[99]
5 March – A proposal to give NHS workers a 1% payrise is described by the government as "what is affordable" given the public finances, while unions and others strongly criticise the amount and call for strike action.[100][101]
7 March
COVID-19 in the UK: The daily number of deaths falls below 100 for the first time since October 2020.[102]
Buckingham Palace says the race issues raised by Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex in their recent TV interview are "concerning" and "while some recollections may vary", the matters will be "taken very seriously" and "addressed by the family privately".[107]
Piers Morgan quits as presenter of ITV's Good Morning Britain following his remarks about Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, which drew 41,000 complaints to Ofcom.[108] A week later, Ofcom confirm over 57,000 complaints have been made, making it the most complained about programme since the regulator's formation.[109]
Police searching for a missing 33-year-old woman, Sarah Everard, discover human remains in Kent woodland. Wayne Couzens, a serving Met Police officer is arrested on suspicion of her kidnap and murder.[112] Two days later, police confirm the body is that of Ms Everard.[113]
13 March – Police are criticised for their heavy-handed approach at a vigil in south London to mourn Sarah Everard, during which four arrests are made.[114]
18 March – COVID-19 in the UK: A record daily high of 660,276 people are given a COVID-19 vaccination.[116]
19 March – COVID-19 in the UK: A record daily high of 711,157 people are given a COVID-19 vaccination.[117]
20 March – COVID-19 in the UK: A new record daily high of 844,285 people are given a COVID-19 vaccination, bringing the total having received at least one dose to 27.6 million.[117] More than half of the adult population in the UK have now had their first dose of vaccine.[118]
Census 2021 is conducted in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.[120] The population of England and Wales is recorded as 59,597,300, a rise of 6.3% over the previous decade.[121]
23 March – COVID-19 in the UK: A minute's silence is held across the UK to remember the 126,172 people who have died from the virus since the beginning of lockdown exactly a year ago.[123]
1 April – Benjamin Hannam becomes the first British police officer to be convicted of a terrorism offence, after being found guilty of joining the banned right-wing extremist group National Action, lying on his Met Police application, and having terror documents detailing knife combat and explosive-making.[130] On 30 April, he is jailed at the Old Bailey for four years and four months.[131]
2 April – COVID-19 in the UK: The number of people in the UK having received their second dose of a vaccine exceeds five million.[132]
11 April – COVID-19 in the UK: The daily number of deaths from the virus falls to seven, while daily reported cases fall to 1,730, the lowest figures seen since early September 2020.[141]
12 April – COVID-19 in the UK: The next stage of lockdown easing begins with non-essential shops, gyms, hairdressers, and pub gardens opening across England. Rules are also eased in the rest of the UK.[142]
The UK's biggest rockfall in 60 years occurs on the Dorset coast, with about 300 metres of cliff weighing an estimated 4,000 tonnes collapsing onto a beach. No deaths or injuries are reported.[145]
COVID-19 in the UK: 77 cases of lineage B.1.617, a new Indian strain of the virus, are reported in the UK.[146]
The number of people receiving their second dose of a vaccine exceeds 10 million.[149]
India is added to the "Red List" of countries from which most travel to the UK is banned, amid concerns over a new viral strain.[150]
20 April – Following a backlash, all six English clubs withdraw from the proposed European Super League.[151]
23 April
Thirty-nine Post Office workers convicted of theft, fraud, and false accounting have their names cleared after one of the UK's most widespread miscarriages of justice.[152]
COVID-19 pandemic costs mean government borrowing in the year to March reaches £303.1bn, the highest level since the end of World War II.[153]
The Electoral Commission begins an investigation into the funding of Boris Johnson's Downing Street flat, saying there are "reasonable grounds to suspect an offence".[158]
COVID-19 in the UK: The government orders an extra 60 million doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine as it plans for a vaccination booster programme in the autumn.[159]
30 April
COVID-19 in the UK: The vaccine rollout opens to 40-year-olds and above in England.[160]
Actor Noel Clarke has his BAFTA award and membership suspended, following accusations of groping, sexual harassment and bullying from 20 women. Clarke denies the allegations.[161][162]
May
2 May
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab tells the BBC that Iran's treatment of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe "amounts to torture", as diplomatic efforts to free the 42-year-old Briton continue.[163]
The BBC reports that almost all 50 of the UK's biggest employers do not plan to return staff to the office full-time, but will instead favour a new "hybrid" of in-person and remote work.[166]
A protest over post-Brexit rights by French fishermen at Saint Helier, Jersey, is brought to an end, following talks to resolve the dispute. Two Royal Navy patrol vessels remain in place around the island.[167]
8 May – Angela Rayner is removed from her roles as the Labour Party's chair and national campaign coordinator by Keir Starmer, following the local election results.[168]
14 May – COVID-19 in the UK: Boris Johnson and Chris Whitty provide an update on the 'Indian' variant, warning that its spread in the UK could potentially delay the government's planned easing of lockdown restrictions on 21 June.[170]
15 May
The final Debenhams store is closed, after more than 240 years in business. The company continues to trade online.[171]
Leicester City wins the FA Cup for the first time, defeating Chelsea 1–0 in the final at Wembley.[172] 21,000 supporters watch the game in the stadium, the most at any English professional match since March 2020.[172]
COVID-19 in the UK: The number of people having received their second dose of a vaccine exceeds 20 million.[173]
17 May – Stage three of the government's conditional lockdown easing goes ahead, enabling larger numbers of people to gather together, including at indoor venues.[174]
20 May
COVID-19 in the UK: The vaccine rollout opens to those aged 34 and 35 in England.[175]
The vaccine rollout opens to those aged 32 and 33 in England.[177]
The total number of vaccines administered in England exceeds 50 million.[178]
The UK scores zero points in the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest with James Newman's entry "Embers", marking the first time the contest has seen an entry that did not score any points since the new voting system was introduced in 2016.[179]
26 May
Dominic Cummings, former chief adviser to Boris Johnson, provides evidence to a joint session of the Commons Health, Science and Technology committees. He makes a series of allegations regarding the Government's handling of the pandemic.[180][181]
COVID-19 in the UK:
The vaccine rollout opens to those aged 30 and 31 in England.[182]
The number of new daily confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the UK is reported as 3,180, the highest figure since 12 April.[183]
27 May – A self-driving bus begins trials in Cambridge, the first service of its kind, running autonomously for 24 hours a day.[184]
28 May
COVID-19 in the UK: A fourth vaccine, and the first requiring only a single jab, is approved for use. Made by US pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson, it has an efficacy of 66% in preventing moderate-to-severe COVID-19, 85% efficacy in preventing severe disease, and 100% efficacy against hospitalisation and death.[185]
2019 London Bridge stabbing: A jury rules that failings by MI5 and the police contributed to the deaths of Saskia Jones and Jack Merritt, two young graduates who were unlawfully killed by a convicted terrorist.[186]
31 May
COVID-19 in the UK: In an interview with BBC Radio 4, Professor Ravi Gupta from the University of Cambridge warns that the UK is entering a third wave of coronavirus infections, fuelled by the Indian variant, and that the ending of lockdown restrictions on 21 June should be postponed.[187]
The UK experiences its hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures of almost 25 °C.[188]
June
1 June
COVID-19 in the UK: Zero daily deaths from the virus are reported in the UK for the first time since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.[189]
COVID-19 in the UK: Health Secretary Matt Hancock tells Sky News that the new Delta variant from India is 40% more transmissible and that the Government is open to delaying the 21 June ending of lockdown restrictions. However, he also confirms that two vaccine doses work just as effectively against it as previous variants.[194]
7 June – The Parole Board confirms that double child killer Colin Pitchfork is suitable for release after 33 years in prison. A number of MPs announce they will oppose the decision.[196]
8 June – COVID-19 in the UK: The vaccine rollout opens to those aged 25 to 29 in England.[197]
9 June – The High Court rules that the government acted unlawfully by awarding a £560,000 contract to a company run by friends of Dominic Cummings.[198][199]
10 June
Matt Hancock defends the government's handling of the pandemic during four hours of questioning from MPs. He tells them the Delta variant first identified in India now comprises over 90% of new coronavirus cases in the UK.[200]
COVID-19 in the UK: Johnson confirms a four-week delay to the final easing of coronavirus restrictions in England, due to the rapid increase in Delta variant cases, but says he is "confident" no delay beyond 19 July will be needed.[203]
Changes allowing gay and bisexual men to donate blood take effect.[204]
15 June – COVID-19 in the UK: The vaccine rollout opens to those aged 23 and 24 in England.[205]
16 June – COVID-19 in the UK: The vaccine rollout opens to those aged 21 and 22 in England.[206]
The government announces that General Fusion will build a large-scale nuclear fusion demonstration plant in Oxfordshire, with construction starting in 2022 and operations beginning from 2025.[210][211]
COVID-19 in the UK: The number of daily cases of COVID-19 in the UK surpasses 10,000 for the first time since February.[212]
18 June – COVID-19 in the UK: The vaccine rollout opens to those aged 18 to 20 in England.[214]
19 June – John Bercow, former Tory MP and Speaker of the House of Commons, defects to Labour, calling his former party "reactionary, populist, nationalistic and sometimes even xenophobic".[215]
23 June
A new £50polymer banknote enters circulation. Featuring the face of computer pioneer and codebreaker Alan Turing, it joins the updated and more secure £5, £10 and £20 notes that were introduced in 2016, 2017 and 2020 respectively.[216]
PC Benjamin Monk is found guilty of the manslaughter of former Aston Villa striker, Dalian Atkinson, who died after being tasered for six times longer than the legally recommended limit, and then kicked twice in the head. Monk becomes the first police officer since the 1980s to be found guilty over a death in custody in England and Wales.[217]
Double murderer Gary Allen is sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 37 years following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court in which he was convicted of the murders of two women 21 years apart.[218]
Police Constable Benjamin Monk, who unlawfully killed Dalian Atkinson by tasering him to the ground and kicking him in the head is jailed for eight years.[226]
30 June – COVID-19 in the UK: The UK records 26,068 new coronavirus cases, the highest number since 29 January.[231]
July
1 July
Prince William and Prince Harry unveil a statue of their mother, Princess Diana at Kensington Palace.[232]
Two men are killed in a light aircraft crash near Goodwood Airfield.[233][234]
A 23-year-old man is charged with common assault after a video emerges of England's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, being accosted by a group of men in a London park.[235]
3 July – UEFA Euro 2020: England beat Ukraine 4–0 in Rome to reach the semi-final of the Euros for the first time in 25 years.[237]
5 July
COVID-19 in the UK: In a televised address, the prime minister, Boris Johnson says he expects that the final lifting of restrictions in England will proceed from 19 July, but this will be confirmed on 12 July after a review of the latest data.[238]
7 July – UEFA Euro 2020: England defeat Denmark 2–1 after extra time at Wembley in the semi-final. This marks the first time England have reached the final of a major international tournament since 1966.[240] Almost 24 million people are reported to have watched the match on ITV and ITV+1, with a peak of 25.7 million during the last five minutes.[241]
8 July – UEFA Euro 2020: UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) charges England following match incidents the previous night. In one, a laser pointer was allegedly shone in the face of Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel as he prepared for a penalty. UEFA also notes a "disturbance" during Denmark's national anthem and fireworks being set off.[242]
Home Secretary Priti Patel announces that white supremacist hate group The Base will be the fifth extreme right-wing group to be proscribed in the UK under anti-terror laws.[246]
COVID-19 in the UK: Johnson confirms that the fourth and final stage of the government's conditional lockdown easing will proceed as planned on 19 July.[247]
Unforeseen floods cause travel chaos in parts of London.[248]
13 July – The House of Commons votes by 333 to 298 (a majority of 35) to keep the budget for international development at 0.5% of national income, below the previous commitment of 0.7%.[249]
The Health and Care Bill passes its second reading in the House of Commons.[251]
15 July
Europe's largest battery storage project, a 100-megawatt system delivered by Shell-owned Limejump, begins operations at Minety in Wiltshire.[252]
Five people are arrested after England footballers were racially abused online following their Euro 2020 final defeat.[253]
The selection process for eight new hospitals in England is launched.[254]
16 July – COVID-19 in the UK: The daily infection count from the virus exceeds 50,000 for the first time since mid-January, with 51,870 new cases reported.[255]
Welsh lockdown rules ease further, allowing six people to meet in private homes and holiday accommodation, while organised indoor events can include 1,000 seated and up to 200 standing. Ice rinks are also allowed to reopen.[257]
Northern Ireland experiences its hottest day on record, reaching 31.2 °C in County Down, above the previous high of 30.8 °C set in the summers of 1976 and 1983.[260]
19 July
COVID-19 in the UK:
Most remaining legal restrictions on social contact in England are removed.[261]
Restrictions are further relaxed in Scotland with changes including 15 people from different households being allowed to meet outdoors, 8 adults indoors and 10 at a pub or restaurant. Booking restrictions at catering facilities are also relaxed and soft play centres can reopen.[262]
The COVID-19 vaccine roll out is expanded to many more under 18s in the UK. Based on scientific advice, the minimum age for vaccinating vulnerable adolescents or those who live with adults that are in a high risk group is reduced from 16 to 12. All young people will now also be eligible for their first dose three months before their 18th birthday.[263]
The Met Office issues its first ever "Amber Extreme Heat Warning", as temperatures exceed 30 °C across large swathes of the UK, with conditions expected to continue for several days.[264][265]
The FTSE 100 falls by 150 points, dropping below the 7000 mark and to its lowest level for several months, as part of a global sell-off.[266][267]
COVID-19 in the UK: Retail industry leaders warn of supermarkets being under increasing pressure to keep shelves fully stocked, due to thousands of shop workers having to self-isolate.[271]
22 July
Far-right and anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson loses a High Court libel case brought by Syrian schoolboy Jamal Hijazi and is ordered to pay him £100,000 in damages.[272]
COVID-19 in the UK: Health SecretarySajid Javid is criticised for using the word "cower" when he tweeted "Please – if you haven’t yet – get your jab, as we learn to live with, rather than cower from, this virus".[274] He later deletes the tweet and issues a public apology.
2021 European floods: Torrential rain causes flooding in many parts of London. East London's Whipps Cross and Newham hospitals declare major incidents, and tell patients to use other A&Es for urgent care, while ambulances are redirected.[275]
27 July – COVID-19 in the UK: The daily number of new infections falls for the seventh day in a row, roughly halving from the previous week to 23,511. However, 131 deaths are reported, the highest figure since March.[276]
A coroner rules that Andrew Devine, 55, who died 32 years after suffering severe and irreversible brain damage at Hillsborough, was unlawfully killed, and is therefore the 97th victim of the disaster.[279]
Climate change in the UK: according to the latest State of the UK Climate report published by the Met Office, 2020 was the third warmest, fifth wettest and eighth sunniest year on record. The lead author says this and the trend since 1990 shows climate change is already happening in the UK.[282]
7 August – COVID-19 in the UK: With some exceptions, such as compulsory mask wearing in certain settings, most remaining pandemic related restrictions conclude in Wales.[288]
9 August
COVID-19 in the UK: The bulk of pandemic related restrictions are removed in Scotland. Rules that remain include compulsory mask wearing in some locations and restrictions surrounding the administration of schools in the early part of the new academic year.[289]
The UK imposes a new package of trade, financial and aviation sanctions on Belarus, in response to continued human rights violations and the undermining of democracy by the Lukashenko regime.[290]
A fire at the Bilsdale transmitting station cuts off TV and radio services for 1 million people across North Yorkshire, Teesside and part of County Durham.[293]
12 August – Six people, including the suspected gunman, are killed in a shooting in Plymouth. It is the first fatal mass shooting in the UK since 2010.[294]
16 August – Well known stand up comedian and 8 Out of 10 Cats team captain Sean Lock dies aged 58 from advanced lung cancer having been diagnosed with the disease a few years prior to his death
17 August
The Office for National Statistics reports that UK job vacancies reached a record high of 953,000 in the three months to July, while average pay rose 7.4 percent.[296]
The government announces a citizens' resettlement scheme for 5,000 Afghan nationals who are at risk due to the current crisis, which could be expanded to 20,000 in the longer term.[299]
19 August – COVID-19 vaccination in the UK: Health Secretary Sajid Javid announces a vaccine booster scheme, with adults over 50 likely to be offered a third dose, beginning in September with the most vulnerable groups.[300]
20 August
COVID-19 in the UK: Ronapreve, a monoclonal antibody treatment to prevent and treat COVID-19, is approved by the MHRA. It is shown to lower hospitalisation or mortality by 70% and to shorten the duration of symptoms by four days.[301]
22 August – The two chimney stacks, the main boiler house and bunker bay are demolished in a controlled demolition at Ferrybridge Power Station in Knottingley, West Yorkshire.
23 August – COVID-19 vaccination in the UK: The government agrees a contract for 35 million more doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, to be administered in 2022.[303][304]
27 August – The last evacuation flight for British nationals and Afghans who are eligible for resettlement in the UK leaves Hamid Karzai International Airport.[305] The UK government later confirms that all British soldiers, diplomats and other officials have been removed from Afghanistan by the following day.[306]
31 August – BBC journalist Sarah Rainsford returns to the UK after being permanently expelled from Russia for "the protection of the security of Russia".[307]
September
September – Great Britain suffers a fuel supply crisis towards the end of the month, due to panic buying caused by media reports of a leaked government briefing discussing the shortage of HGV drivers.
COVID-19 in the UK: The total number of confirmed infections since the start of the pandemic exceeds 7 million.[310]
7 September – In the Commons, Johnson reveals the government's long-awaited plan for social care reforms, including a 1.25% rise in National Insurance to raise £36bn over three years, and a cap of £86,000 on lifetime care costs in England.[311]
8 September – MPs vote in favour of the government's NHS and social care tax rise plan by 319 votes to 248, a majority of 71.[312]
12 September – COVID-19 in the UK: A plan for vaccine passports in England is ditched by the government, but kept "in reserve" should it be needed over autumn or winter.[315]
13 September – COVID-19 vaccination in the UK: The UK's four chief medical officers recommend that children aged 12–15 should be vaccinated against COVID-19, initially with a single dose, leaving the possibility for a second dose in spring 2022.[316]
14 September – COVID-19 vaccination in the UK: The JCVI recommends a booster shot against COVID-19 for the over 50s and at-risk groups, preferably the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine, meaning about 30 million adults should receive a third dose.[317]
The UK joins AUKUS, a trilateral security pact with Australia and the United States, to counter the influence of China.[320]
16 September
COVID-19 vaccination in the UK: The booster programme begins in England and Wales, starting with NHS staff.[321]
Co-op Food announces a partnership with Amazon Prime, enabling same-day grocery deliveries, while also expanding the use of robots from 200 to 500 units.[322]
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng holds crisis talks with industry bosses, as firms struggle to stay afloat amid a surge in natural gas wholesale prices.[324][325]
26 September – 2021 fuel supply crisis: Amid panic buying at petrol stations, ministers suspend competition laws to enable fuel suppliers to talk to one another and prioritise locations most in need.[328]
27 September – 2021 fuel supply crisis: 50% to 90% of fuel stations in some regions of England have run dry, according to Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) members.
28 September
Katie Price is hospitalised after a car crash in Horsham. The following day, she pleads guilty to three charges of drunk driving, driving without insurance and driving while disqualified.[329]
2021 fuel supply crisis: Businesses involved in the fuel industry issue a joint statement saying that they are "now seeing signs that the situation at the pumps has begun to improve".
Boris Johnson delivers his speech to the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, his first in-person address to Tory members since the COVID-19 pandemic.[337]
The natural gas trading price rises to its highest ever level, increasing by 37% in the morning, recovering later in the day to finish 9% down on the day's starting price.[338][339]
10 October – The four remaining cooling towers at Eggborough Power Station are demolished with explosives.
11 October – A question on sexual activities in areas with widespread HIV transmission will be removed following recommendations to make blood donation inclusive.[342]
12 October – COVID-19 in the UK: A joint report from the Health & Social Care and Science and Technology Select Committee describes the decisions on lockdowns and social distancing during the early weeks of the pandemic, and the advice that led to them, as "one of the most important public health failures the UK has ever experienced", and the vaccination approach, including its research, development, and rollout as "one of the most effective initiatives in UK history".[343]
14 October
In a BBC interview about the Earthshot Prize, Prince William talks about "climate anxiety" among younger generations, and suggests that rich entrepreneurs should be "trying to repair this planet, not trying to find the next place to go and live".[344]
Conservative MP Sir David Amess dies after being stabbed multiple times during his constituency surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea.[346] Police arrest a 25-year-old male British national, and treat the killing as an act of terror.[347]
COVID-19 in the UK: NHS Test and Trace suspends testing provided by a private laboratory in Wolverhampton amid fears up to 43,000 people were given the wrong result for COVID-19 tests. The Health Security Agency announces it will hold a 'serious incident investigation' into the matter.[348]
The contactless payment limit is increased from £45 to £100.[349]
18 October – A minute's silence is held for Sir David Amess in the House of Commons. Boris Johnson pays tribute to Amess and announces that Southend-on-Sea will become a city, a status which the murdered MP had long campaigned for.[350]
19 October
Tesco opens its first checkout-free store, known as GetGo, similar in format to the automated Amazon Go stores.[351]
The government announces grants of £5,000 to replace old gas boilers with heat pumps and other low-carbon technology, as part of its plan to phase out the sale of new gas boilers by 2035. Experts criticise the plans as unambitious, given that only 90,000 heat pumps will be installed over three years, out of 25 million homes with gas boilers.[352]
20 October – COVID-19 in the UK: In a Downing Street press conference, Sajid Javid announces the securing of two new antiviral drug deals for the UK. He warns that daily case numbers could reach 100,000 and urges the public to remain cautious.[353]
21 October
COVID-19 in the UK:
With daily infections above 40,000 for eight consecutive days, the British Medical Association accuses the government of being "wilfully negligent" for not reimposing rules such as mandatory face masks.[354]
The number of daily infections exceeds 50,000 for the first time since July.[355]
24 October – COVID-19 vaccination in the UK: The number of people receiving a third vaccine dose exceeds 5 million. The NHS reports 325,000 booster jabs administered on Saturday, a new record number.[356]
26 October – Following a recent overnight stay in hospital, Buckingham Palace confirms that the Queen will be unable to attend the upcoming COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow.[358]
27 October
Police make 31 arrests as members of Insulate Britain glue themselves to roads around London and Kent.[359]
The Budget: Chancellor Rishi Sunak presents his autumn statement, designed to help the UK emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes a £150bn increase in departmental spending, an increase in the National Living Wage from £8.91 to £9.50, a cut in the Universal Credit taper rate from 63% to 55%, and the biggest cut to business rates in over 30 years.[360][361]
COVID-19 in the UK: Labour leader Keir Starmer goes into self-isolation after testing positive for coronavirus. Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves takes his place at the despatch box in the House of Commons.[362]
Sidney Cooke, 94, one of the UK's most notorious paedophiles and serial killers, is denied parole for the tenth time. Cooke was jailed for life with a minimum five-year term in 1999 for the abuse of two brothers.[365]
3 November – After the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards found that Conservative MP Owen Paterson breached lobbying rules, with a recommended 30-day suspension, the House of Commons votes by 250 to 232 to postpone the decision whilst a review of the investigating watchdog is undertaken.[371][372]
4 November
Owen Paterson steps down as an MP after 24 years in politics, calling the past two years "an indescribable nightmare for my family and me".[373]
Former Labour MP Claudia Webbe is given a 10-week sentence, suspended for two years, after being convicted of harassment.[374]
Leader of the House, Jacob Rees-Mogg, announces that the planned overhaul of the standards system will not, in fact, go ahead without cross-party support.[375][376]
COVID-19 in the UK: The UK becomes the first country in the world to approve molnupiravir, an oral antiviral pill for COVID-19 that cuts the risk of hospitalisation or death by half.[377]
9 November – Footballer Marcus Rashford is awarded an MBE for his campaigning to help vulnerable children.[379]
11 November – A record daily number of migrant crossings between France and the UK is reported, with around 1,000 people intercepted by border patrols. The cumulative total of 23,000 for the year is far higher than previous years.[380]
COVID-19 vaccination in the UK: The number of children aged between 12 and 15 having received a first vaccine dose exceeds one million.[382]
COP26: Following the conclusion of the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Boris Johnson appears at No 10 for a press conference with Alok Sharma. He describes the deal secured by world leaders as a "game-changing agreement" which sounds "the death knell for coal power".[383]
COVID-19 vaccination in the UK: The JCVI announces that the booster jab programme should be extended to those aged 40 to 49. It also recommends that 16 and 17 year olds, who were initially offered only a single dose, should now get a second.[386]
16 November – Ex-Yorkshire cricketer Azeem Rafiq tells the Culture and Sport Committee he was treated in an "inhuman" way by his club when his unborn son died, as he gives evidence to MPs about racism, saying it is "institutional in cricket".[387]
17 November – The UK inflation rate hits 4.2%, its highest level for 10 years and more than double the Bank of England's target, driven mainly by higher fuel and energy prices.[388]
18 November – High Speed 2: The government announces that the HS2 sections to Leeds from both the East Midlands and Manchester will be scrapped in favour of an earlier upgrade to the existing route between Manchester and Leeds. The transport secretary, Grant Shapps says the plan is "ambitious and unparalleled" and that it reduces journey times from Manchester to Leeds from 55 to 33 minutes, and from Birmingham to Nottingham by more than an hour to 26 minutes. The £96bn plans are criticised by shadow transport secretary, Jim McMahon, who says in the Commons that the government has broken its promise and "completely sold out" the north.[389]
24 November – November 2021 English Channel disaster: An inflatable dinghy carrying 30 migrants capsizes while attempting to reach the UK from France, resulting in 27 deaths and one missing. The victims include a pregnant woman and three children. The incident is the deadliest of its kind on record.[390]
COVID-19 in the UK: The UK becomes the fourth country to surpass 10 million COVID-19 cases after the United States, India and Brazil.[392]
26 November
Hamas is proscribed in its entirety as a terrorist organisation.[393]
A feasibility study into the proposed Irish Sea Bridge concludes that such a route is technically possible, but would cost up to £335bn and require 30 years to construct. A tunnel option is put at £209bn.[394][395]
COVID-19 in the UK: Amid international concerns over B.1.1.529, a highly mutated variant of COVID-19 that appears more infectious than Delta, six countries in Southern Africa are placed on the UK's travel red list. The government confirms that no cases have yet been detected in the UK.[396][397]
Two people are killed as Storm Arwen hits the British Isles. Widespread damage and travel disruption is reported in Scotland and North East England, with 100,000 people losing power.[398]
27 November – COVID-19 in the UK: Two cases of B.1.1.529, now designated by the WHO as the Omicron variant, are reported in the UK.[399] Johnson holds a press conference at Downing Street with Sir Patrick Vallance and Professor Chris Whitty, in which the public are told that all international arrivals entering England must take a PCR test and self-isolate until they receive a negative result, while all contacts of suspected Omicron cases must self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of their vaccination status. It is also announced that face coverings will become compulsory on public transport and in shops (excluding hospitality) from 30 November.[400]
30 November – The Queen congratulates Barbados as it becomes a republic, meaning she is no longer its head of state. The country remains part of the Commonwealth of Nations.[401]
December
1 December – The British Armed Forces announces that it will now allow those with HIV and taking antiretrovirals to serve, with those diagnosed to be allowed without restrictions from spring 2022, ending a barrier for such individuals. Medications will also be freely available for such personnel.[402][403]
Emma Tustin and Thomas Hughes are jailed over the torture and killing of Hughes' six-year-old son, Arthur Labinjo-Hughes. Hughes, found guilty of his manslaughter, is jailed for 21 years. His partner Tustin, found guilty of murdering the boy, receives a minimum of 29 years.[405]
4 December – The Attorney-General announces a review of the sentences given to Emma Tustin and Thomas Hughes to "determine whether they were too low".[407]
5 December – Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng visits North East England where thousands of homes remain without power more than a week after Storm Arwen. The Army and Royal Marines continue to deliver supplies to affected residents, as power firms work to repair the last outages.[408]
6 December – COVID-19 in the UK: Sajid Javid confirms that community transmission of the Omicron variant, i.e. not linked to international travel, is occurring across multiple regions.[409]
7 December – Severe weather warnings are issued for most of the UK as Storm Barra makes landfall.[410]
8 December
COVID-19 in the UK: "Plan B" is announced by Boris Johnson, which introduces further restrictions on social gatherings. This includes a requirement to work from home wherever possible, the use of face coverings extended to include more venues, and the NHS Covid Pass or a negative lateral flow test for entry to crowded events (subject to parliamentary approval).[411]
COVID-19 vaccination in the UK: The booster jab program opens to over-40s, meaning an extra seven million people can get a third vaccine dose.[412]
The Conservative Party is fined £17,800 by the Electoral Commission after failing to accurately report a donation that paid for Johnson's flat refurbishment, and for failing to keep a proper accounting record.[415][416]
The official investigation into government staff parties, alleged to have taken place during lockdown in late 2020, is widened to include a total of three events. Labour calls for Johnson to resign if he is found to have misled Parliament on the issue.[417]
COVID-19 in the UK: The daily infection number reaches the highest level since January, at 58,194.[420]
12 December
The Daily Mirror publishes a leaked photo of Johnson at a virtual Christmas quiz in Downing Street on 15 December 2020, sitting in-person with two colleagues, when London was under COVID-19 lockdown rules that prohibited household mixing.[421][422]
COVID-19 in the UK:
The COVID alert level is increased to four, meaning transmission is "high or rising exponentially", due to a rapid increase in Omicron cases.[423] An additional 1,239 Omicron cases are reported, marking the biggest daily rise to date and bringing the total confirmed number in the UK to 3,137.[424]
In a televised address, Johnson warns of "a tidal wave of Omicron coming" as he brings forward a target to give all over-18s a booster jab by one month to the end of December. This will mean the booster jab rollout needing to increase to a million a day, he explains, nearly doubling the current 530,000 daily figure.[425]
14 December – COVID-19 in the UK: Passes for entry to large venues like nightclubs in England win the backing of MPs by 369 votes to 126, despite a rebellion by Conservative backbenchers.[429]
15 December
Inflation reaches 5.1%, up from 4.2% the previous month and its highest level in 10 years.[430]
A leaked photo emerges of former London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey and 23 colleagues holding a gathering at the Conservative headquarters in London, during the COVID-19 restrictions of December 2020, provoking allegations that the restrictions had been broken.[431][432] However, on 11 November 2022, the police clear Bailey, and all others in attendance at the gathering, of any wrongdoing.[433]
COVID-19 in the UK: The UK records its highest number of daily cases since the pandemic began, at 78,610.[434]
16 December
The Bank of England raises interest rates for the first time in more than three years, from 0.1% to 0.25%, in response to surging inflation.[435]
17 December – Simon Case recuses himself from his role of leading an inquiry into alleged government staff parties during lockdown, after it is reported that a similar event was also held in his own office.[438]
18 December
COVID-19 in the UK: London Mayor Sadiq Khan declares a major incident in the capital, due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.[439]
Piers Corbyn is arrested by the Metropolitan Police after a video emerges of him urging people to "hammer to death those scum, those scum who have decided to go ahead with introducing new fascism", as well as suggesting that the offices of MPs who had voted for COVID-19 restrictions should be burned down.[441]
The Guardian publishes a photo of Boris Johnson, his wife, and 17 staff members in the Downing Street garden with cheese and wine in May 2020, at a time when large social gatherings were prohibited due to COVID-19. Johnson's spokesman tells the newspaper that the photo shows a work meeting, not a social event.[442][443]
20 December
Hornsea Two Wind Farm, the world's largest offshore array, is reported to be generating power for the first time.[444]
22 December
COVID-19 in the UK:
Another record high of 106,122 new infections is reported, the first time the daily case number has exceeded 100,000.[445]
Preliminary studies of the Omicron variant suggest that it could be milder than Delta, with a 30% to 70% reduction in those needing hospital treatment; however, the increased transmissibility may still overwhelm hospitals, through the sheer number of cases.[446]
23 December – COVID-19 in the UK: Another record high of 119,789 new infections is reported.[447]
28 December – COVID-19 in the UK: Another record high of 129,471 new infections is reported.[448]
30 December
COVID-19 in the UK: Another record high of 189,213 new infections is reported, which includes a five-day Christmas backlog for Northern Ireland, and a two-day backlog for Wales.[449]
A 16-year-old boy dies after being stabbed in Hillingdon, West London, making him the 30th teenage homicide in the capital during 2021, surpassing the previous record high of 29 in 2008.[450]
Another record high of 189,846 new infections is reported, as the seven day cumulative total exceeds 1 million.[453]
Many public New Year's Eve celebrations are cancelled, including Hogmanay in Scotland, due to the prevalence of COVID-19.[454]
The warmest New Year's Eve on record is reported, with temperatures of 15.8 °C (60.4 °F) in western England.[455]
The newly-restored clock face of Big Ben is revealed in time for the new year, following a renovation that began in 2017.[456]
Undated
A majority (51.3%) of babies born this year are to mothers who are not married or in a civil partnership at the date of birth for the first time since UK registration began in 1845, continuing a long-term trend.[457]
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