Five-tier approach

New strategic approach to managing COVID-19

UPDATED: 30 October

Scotland's Strategic Framework - a five-level framework which will allow for a refreshed strategic approach to suppressing Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreaks across Scotland - has been published. The tourism and hospitality guidance has been updated to reflect this.

This article includes:

Protection levels

Local Authority levels

Travel restrictions

Grants for businesses

Further information

Protection levels

The framework has five protection levels. ‘Level 0’ is effectively the same level of protection as the Route Map Phase 3 measures Scotland reached in August and will act as a baseline, with four levels above that designed to apply increasing protection from the virus in areas according to prevalence, the risk to communities and the need to protect the NHS. Levels will be reviewed on a regular basis.

• Level zero – closest to normality which the government can get to without a vaccine or effective treatment. Maximum of eight people from three households permitted to meet indoors and most business open. 
• Level one – a maximum of six people from two households permitted to meet indoors, with most businesses permitted to operate close to normality. (At times, depending on circumstances, there may be a need to stop indoor socialising in level one in an area)
• Level two – restrictions similar to those outside the central belt in place, with no gatherings between households permitted indoors and limitations on hospitality.
• Level three - similar to current central belt measures, with strict restrictions on hospitality business and indoor gatherings. However, restaurants will be permitted to open at least partially.
• Level four – closer to a full lockdown, with the closure of non-essential shops. This will be used at times when the virus is running out of control and the NHS is at risk of being overwhelmed. However, six people from two households will still be permitted to meet outdoors, manufacturing and construction will be able to continue, and there will be no limit on outdoor exercise.

It was agreed that the new protection levels will increase the opportunity for hospitality businesses to operate during different levels of COVID-19 restrictions. View hospitality measures for each level.

Read more information on COVID-19 protection levels, what they mean, why they are being introduced and what the different levels are on the Scottish Government website.

Updated tourism and hospitality business guidance has been published - please ensure you’re aware of any changes. New restrictions come into force on Monday 2 November 2020.

Local Authority levels

The Scottish Government has been engaging with local government, stakeholders, economic groups and other partners. Local Authority restrictions have now been agreed:

• Level one – Highlands, Moray, Western Isles, Shetland and Orkney
• Level two – Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen City, Fife, Scottish Borders, Dumfries & Galloway, Argyll & Bute, Perth & Kinross and Angus
• Level three - Edinburgh City, Midlothian, East Lothian, West Lothian, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, Dundee, East and West Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, North, South and East Ayrshire, Stirling, Falkirk, Clackmannanshire, North and South Lanarkshire.

This will come into effect from Monday 2 November and will be reviewed, with an update given on 10 November (with new restrictions taking effect 13 November). 

More detail on the assessment of what level of protection should be applied to each local authority is available on the Scottish Government website.

Travel restrictions

If you live in a level three local authority area or in future a level 4 area, please do not travel outside the local authority area you live in - unless you require to do so for essential reasons. 

And if you live in a level one or two local authority area, you must not travel into a level 3 or level 4 area except for essential purposes.

Essential purposes covers things like work – if you cannot work from home – education, local outdoor exercise, healthcare or caring responsibilities, and essential shopping where that is not possible locally.

In recent weeks that guidance has applied to health board areas. But from Monday 2 November, it will apply at local authority level.

Similarly people – wherever they live – should not travel between Scotland and areas in the rest of the UK with high levels of the virus unless it is essential.

Read the Scottish Government advice and guidance on how to travel safely. And you can view quarantine rules and information on the process for people entering the UK.

Grants for businesses

Ongoing financial support is set out in the Strategic Framework and will be available to businesses which are required to close or which can remain open but will be directly affected by restrictions. The Scottish Government will work with local authorities to ensure grants are made available quickly and efficiently.

From 2 November, firms that are required by law to close will be eligible for grants every four weeks for as long as the restrictions last. Based on rateable values, awards will be for either £2,000 or £3,000. 

Businesses which can remain open, but are directly constrained by the measures, will be eligible for grants worth £1,400 or £2,100, again based on rateable value.

This support is in addition to the UK Government’s revised furlough scheme launching on 1 November.

Further information

You can now find the COVID-19: Scotland's Strategic Framework document on the Scottish Government website.

Details of the Coronavirus (COVID-19): protection levels are on the Scottish Government website.

View the Strategic Framework hospitality measures for each level.

Current guidance for tourism and hospitality businesses.

Current guidance for the events sector.

Read the Scottish Government advice and guidance on how to travel safely.

Via visitscotland.org