The eviction ban in England and Wales has been extended by four weeks, the government has announced.
Ministers had come under pressure to extend the ban beyond Monday - when it was due to end - amid warnings thousands of renters could lose their homes otherwise.
The measure was announced in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Image:Charities say that if the ban ends without extra protection, there could be a 'devastating homelessness crisis'
In Scotland and Northern Ireland, the ban has been extended to March.
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said: "I know this year has been challenging and all of us are still living with the effects of COVID-19. That is why today I am announcing a further four-week ban on evictions, meaning no renters will have been evicted for six months.
Advertisement
"I am also increasing protections for renters - six month notice periods must be given to tenants, supporting renters over winter.
"However, it is right that the most egregious cases, for example those involving anti-social behaviour or domestic abuse perpetrators, begin to be heard in court again; and so when courts reopen, landlords will once again be able to progress these priority cases."
More from Politics
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the "11th hour U-turn", but said the ban should remain in force until a "credible plan" is in place to stop anyone losing their home because of the pandemic.
"Such a brief extension means there is a real risk that this will simply give renters a few more weeks to pack their bags," he said.
What it's like to be homeless in lockdown
Citizens Advice chief executive Dame Gillian Guy called on ministers to work with it and others to "put in place a series of protections which will help those who've built up rent arrears get back on their feet".
But the National Residential Landlords Association criticised the "blanket extension", saying it "satisfies no one".
Chief executive Ben Beadle said: "Landlords have been left powerless in exercising their legal right to deal with significant arrears unrelated to COVID-19, antisocial behaviour and extremely disruptive tenants who make life miserable for their neighbours and housemates.
"Private landlords cannot be expected to foot the bill for government failure. There must now be a plan to support households to pay their bills and to compensate landlords fully for their lost income."
Charities had voiced fears of mass evictions around Christmas if the ban is not extended.
They said that if the ban ended without extra protection, there could have been a "devastating homelessness crisis", with tens of thousands of outgoing tenants potentially unable to find or access affordable homes.
Image:Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed the '11th hour U-turn'
According to housing charity Shelter, by the end of June a total of 174,000 renters had been warned by their landlord that they are facing eviction.
Shelter added that 58,000 moved out after being asked to leave during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The charity estimates that almost a quarter of a million renters were in rent arrears by the end of June.
Reacting to the extension, Shelter said ministers "must now use this short window of time wisely to put proper safeguards in place for renters".
It added: "A bullet may have been dodged with this extension, but as soon as Parliament returns, it must give judges extra powers to stop renters being evicted because of 'COVID-arrears'."
The District Councils Network estimates that up to half a million people could be at risk of eviction in the months to come.
The British Medical Association has also expressed concerns, saying ending the ban could lead to a surge in coronavirus cases if homelessness increases, with homeless people more likely to have health conditions that increase their vulnerability.
Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus outbreak this Friday evening. We'll have another update for you tomorrow morning.
1. Tougher measures for parts of northern England
Coronavirus measures have been tightened in Oldham, Pendle and Blackburn in a bid to reduce the spread of cases. From Saturday, residents in those areas in north-west England will not be allowed to socialise with anyone from outside their household. It is the latest move in the government's attempts to tackle the virus with a more targeted approach. Click here to find out how many confirmed cases there are in your area.
2. Eviction ban to be extended by four weeks
The ban on landlords evicting tenants in England had been due to end on Monday - but it has now been extended until 20 September. The government introduced the ban in March to help those financially hit by the coronavirus lockdown. The extension - described by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer as an "11th hour U-turn" - came after charities warned of a homelessness crisis. Read more about the current rules around evictions.
Media playback is unsupported on your device
3. UK government debt surpasses £2 trillion
UK government debt has exceeded £2 trillion for the first time following heavy spending to support the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic. Spending on measures such as the job retention scheme means the debt figure now equals the value of everything the UK produces in a year. How does it work when a government wants to borrow money, and when does it have to pay it back? Find out here.
4. Driving test website crashes as bookings resume
The website for booking new driving tests in England and Wales relaunched on Friday ahead of tests restarting on 14 September. But after facing what the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) called "unprecedented demand", the site crashed. Many people complained on social media about being unable to access the site and the DVSA said it was working to fix the issue. It suspended all driving tests on 20 March due to the pandemic.
5. Students' belongings binned by university halls
A student who returned to her halls of residence five months after being made to leave because of coronavirus restrictions found all her belongings had been thrown away. Hannah Mullins and two other students at the University of Brighton made appointments to collect their items and arrived to find them all gone. The possessions she left behind at the start of the lockdown included her professional camera, art supplies for her graphic design degree, clothes and makeup.
...the rules about which countries UK holidaymakers can visit without having to quarantine on return are regularly changing, here's all you need to know about the latest measures.
You can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page.
Find out how the pandemic has affected your area and how it compares with the national average.
A modern browser with JavaScript and a stable internet connection are required to view this interactive.
Deaths are death registrations where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. Source: ONS, NRS and NISRA – England, Wales and Northern Ireland updated weekly. Scotland updated monthly. Although the numbers of deaths per 100,000 people shown in the charts above have not been weighted to account for variations in demography between local authorities, the virus is known to affect disproportionately older people, BAME people, and people from more deprived households or employed in certain occupations.
Cases include positive tests of people in hospital and healthcare workers (Pillar 1) and people tested in the wider population (Pillar 2). Public health bodies may occasionally revise their case numbers. Average is a median average of rates per area in each UK nation. Source: UK public health bodies - updated weekdays.
In some cases, your question will be published, displaying your name, age and location as you provide it, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy.
Use this form to ask your question:
If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or send them via email to YourQuestions@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any question you send in.
The eviction ban in England and Wales will be extended until 20 September, Sky News understands.
Ministers have come under pressure to extend the ban, amid warnings thousands of renters could lose their homes otherwise.
An official announcement is expected to be made later.
Image:Charities say that if the ban ends without extra protection, there could be a 'devastating homelessness crisis'
The ban, which was announced in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, is currently due to end on Monday.
In Scotland and Northern Ireland, the ban has been extended to March in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Advertisement
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed the "11th hour U-turn", but said the ban should remain in force until a "credible plan" is in place to stop anyone losing their home because of the pandemic.
"Such a brief extension means there is a real risk that this will simply give renters a few more weeks to pack their bags," he said.
More from Politics
Citizens Advice chief executive Dame Gillian Guy called on ministers work with it and others to "put in place a series of protections which will help those who've built up rent arrears get back on their feet".
But the National Residential Landlords Association criticised the "blanket extension", saying it "satisfies no one".
What it's like to be homeless in lockdown
Chief executive Ben Beadle said: "Landlords have been left powerless in exercising their legal right to deal with significant arrears unrelated to COVID-19, antisocial behaviour and extremely disruptive tenants who make life miserable for their neighbours and housemates.
"Private landlords cannot be expected to foot the bill for government failure. There must now be a plan to support households to pay their bills and to compensate landlords fully for their lost income."
Charities have voiced fears of mass evictions around Christmas if the ban is not extended.
They have said that if the ban ends without extra protection, there could be a "devastating homelessness crisis", with tens of thousands of outgoing tenants potentially unable to find or access affordable homes.
According to housing charity Shelter, by the end of June a total of 174,000 renters had been warned by their landlord that they are facing eviction.
Image:Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed the '11th hour U-turn'
Shelter added that 58,000 moved out after being asked to leave during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The charity estimates that almost a quarter of a million renters were in rent arrears by the end of June.
Reacting to the extension, Shelter said ministers "must now use this short window of time wisely to put proper safeguards in place for renters".
It added: "A bullet may have been dodged with this extension, but as soon as Parliament returns, it must give judges extra powers to stop renters being evicted because of 'COVID-arrears'."
The District Councils Network estimates that up to half a million people could be at risk of eviction in the months to come.
Crisis has said extending the ban once more is the "obvious" choice with unemployment rising and future uncertainty caused by the pandemic.
Chief executive Jon Sparkes said the ban should stay in place until "well into next year", but if not the government should introduce other measures.
Charities say that if the ban ends without extra protection, there could be a "devastating homelessness crisis", with tens of thousands of outgoing tenants potentially unable to find or access affordable homes.
The British Medical Association has also expressed concerns, saying ending the ban could lead to a surge in coronavirus cases if homelessness increases, with homeless people more likely to have health conditions that increase their vulnerability.
Oldham, Pendle and Blackburn have escaped full local lockdowns and strict new social distancing measures have been introduced instead following a spike in coronavirus cases.
Different households will no longer be able to meet with each other in the three areas in any setting, including in parks and beer gardens - while extra restrictions which were in force in Wigan, Darwen and Rossendale have been removed.
Birmingham has also been added to this week's watch list as an 'Area of Enhanced Support', meaning it will receive extra resources for additional testing and contact tracing, and Northampton becomes an 'Area of Intervention', placing it in the highest risk category and requiring the most support.
The leader of Oldham council, Councillor Sean Fielding, said public transport would be deemed for "absolutely essential use only" and the number of people allowed to attend weddings and funerals would be reduced in the town.
It has not yet been made clear when the new restrictions will be introduced.
Advertisement
The action was agreed with local leaders by Health Secretary Matt Hancock, NHS Test and Trace, the Joint Biosecurity Centre and Chief Medical Officer for England Professor Chris Whitty.
Oldham currently has the highest two-week COVID-19 case rate across England, Scotland and Wales - followed by Northampton and Blackburn and Darwen.
More from Birmingham
However, targeted testing and other measures has resulted in a decline in the rate of infections in the town.
A total of 187 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in Oldham in the seven days to August 17 - the equivalent of 78.9 per 100,000 people, down from 111.8 in the seven days to August 10 - according Public Health England data published yesterday.
"We have made a clear case to government that a local lockdown with the closure of businesses would not be the right solution to tackle the problems we are facing in Oldham," said Mr Fielding.
"Our alternative was an alternative which put forward some measures that would reduce social mixing and increase the targeting of testing and enforcement of testing in areas where it is needed most."
He added: "I know that this is a difficult time but we need to work together and pull together now more than ever to bring down our coronavirus cases and avoid any future threat of local lockdown or further national lockdown.
"I hope that I can rely on the residents of Oldham to support us and together we can come through this crisis."
Why Oldham is most infected place in England
Several areas across Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, East Lancashire and Leicester have already faced tougher restrictions for more than two weeks to try and contain the spread of coronavirus.
Ministers handed powers to councils to declare local lockdowns - but can still impose them if deemed necessary.
Blackburn sets up own tracing team
Northampton is almost level with Oldham on 78.4 cases per 100,000 people, a slight increase from 74.4, with 176 new cases.
There were 101 new cases recorded during the same week in Blackburn with Darwen, where the rate has fallen from 81.5 to 67.5.
In Leicester the rate continues to drop, down from 70.3 to 52.5, with 186 new cases.
Other areas recording notable week-on-week jumps include Manchester (up from 38.5 to 49.0, with 271 new cases), Bury (up from 22.0 to 33.0, with 63 new cases) and Stoke-on-Trent (up from 15.6 to 26.1, with 67 new cases).
The killers of PC Andrew Harper have had their sentences referred to the Court of Appeal after the attorney general considered them to be "unduly lenient".
Suella Braverman QC said attacks against emergency workers should be "punished with the greatest severity".
PC Harper, 28, suffered catastrophic injuries when he was dragged behind a getaway car in Berkshire last August.
Henry Long, Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole were convicted of manslaughter.
All three were cleared of murder charges following a trial at the Old Bailey in London.
At the time of the offence, Bowers and Cole were both 17. Only Long, aged 18, was an adult.
During sentencing Mr Justice Edis said the age of the defendants at the time of the offence was a mitigating factor in determining the length of their jail terms.
'Such heinous crimes'
The Attorney General Suella Braverman said PC Harper's killing was a "horrific crime which resulted in the death of a much-respected police officer while he was on-duty, protecting his community".
She said she had referred the sentences after "having personally considered the details of this shocking case".
"Offenders should be punished with the greatest severity for such heinous crimes," she added.
The unduly lenient sentence (ULS) scheme allows people to ask law officers to review sentences for certain crimes that they believe are too low. It only requires one complaint for the attorney general's office to consider whether to refer the matter to the Court of Appeal.
The referral comes after PC Harper's widow Lissie and his mother Deborah Adlam launched campaigns calling for tougher sentences for killers of emergency service workers.
'Fairer outcome'
Lissie Harper said the attorney general's decision was "great news" and thanked the public for their "continued and unstinting support" for her campaign.
"The sentences for Andrew's killers did not match their heinous crime," she said.
"It was not justice and it needs to be addressed. Police officers need to be properly protected by the judicial system."
Also reacting to the decision, Mrs Adlam said: "My family and I know that the whole nation stands with us in outrage at the sentences handed down to my son's killers.
"We can only hope that a fairer outcome is reached by the Court of Appeal."
The maximum sentence a judge can impose for manslaughter is life imprisonment but they must specify a minimum term to be served.
What is the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme?
The scheme allows victims of crime, their families, prosecutors and the public to ask law officers to review sentences for certain crimes that they believe are unfair.
The attorney general can only ask the Court of Appeal to review a sentence under the ULS scheme if they consider that sentence to be "unduly lenient". It means, for example, that a sentencing judge made a gross error or imposed a sentence outside the range of reasonable sentences available.
The scheme only applies to sentences given in crown courts in England and Wales.
The attorney general acts independently of government when deciding on unduly lenient sentences.
Source: Attorney general's office.
Mr Justice Edis, the sentencing judge in the case, told the Old Bailey each of the jail terms for PC Harper's killers had to reflect "the seriousness of this case".
'Immaturity'
Sentencing Long, he told the leader of the group "although this is an extremely serious offence" he had decided not impose a life sentence because of his age.
"A man only a few years older than you would have received a life sentence," the judge said.
Long's custodial term had a starting point of 24 years, but was reduced to 16 years due to his age and his guilty plea of manslaughter. He will serve 10 years and eight months before he is considered for parole.
The judge said a starting point of 20 years for Cole and Bowers was reduced to 13 years each due to their ages and "immaturity".
A date for the hearing at the Court of Appeal has yet to be set.
Households in Oldham and Blackburn will be BANNED from meeting together from midnight on Saturday as the Government unveils its latest local lockdown rules
Tougher measures will apply to Oldham, Pendle and Blackburn from weekend
Rules will mean families in three areas will not be allowed to meet up together
Residents also being told to avoid using public transport unless it is essential
Matt Hancock said crackdown was needed to keep coronavirus 'under control'
Families already banned from meeting up indoors in parts of north England
Wigan, Darwen and Rossendale being released from local lockdown rules
Birmingham being designated an 'Area of Enhanced Support' after spike in cases
Households in Oldham, Pendle and Blackburn will be banned from socialising together from midnight on Saturday as the Government announces new measures to stop the localised spread of coronavirus.
The Government said it had agreed the tougher restrictions with local leaders, with residents now being told not to meet with anyone from outside their own household.
Ministers said that 'despite dedicated local efforts, evidence of rising rates in areas remain'.
But a drop in infection rates in Wigan, Darwen and Rossendale means they will soon be released from local lockdown rules which currently apply to the Greater Manchester area.
Meanwhile, the Government has designated Birmingham as an ‘Area of Enhanced Support’ after a rise in case numbers in the city, with additional testing to be rolled out to determine the extent of infection.
The new rules in Oldham, Pendle and Blackburn will not prevent people from going shopping, going to work or attending child-care settings including schools which are due to reopen from September 1.
However, they do mean that social activities both indoors and outdoors can only be shared with people who live together.
Residents in the three areas are also being advised to avoid using public transport except for essential travel.
The number of people who can attend weddings and funerals is recommended to be limited to household members and close family and no more than 20 people.
Local restaurants are being told not to allow walk-ins and to only seat people who have made reservations in advance.
The new rules, which will not apply in the Darwen area of the Blackburn with Darwen Upper Tier Local Authority area, parts of Pendle, in Rossendale or in Wigan, are in addition to the existing ban on indoor gatherings of more than two households in place across parts of Lancashire, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire.
Households in Oldham, Pendle and Blackburn will be banned from socialising together from midnight on Saturday. Oldham shops are pictured yesterday
Health Secretary Matt Hancock today announced further local lockdown measures which will apply to residents in Oldham, Blackburn and Pendle
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: 'To prevent a second peak and keep Covid-19 under control, we need robust, targeted intervention where we see a spike in cases. The only way we can keep on top of this deadly virus is through decisive action led by the people who know their areas best, wherever possible through consensus with a local area.
'Working with local leaders we agreed further action [in] Oldham, Pendle and Blackburn. It is vital that everyone in these areas follow the advice of their councils, and abide by their local rules carefully.
'Our approach is to make the action we take as targeted as possible, with the maximum possible local consensus.
'To do that we are introducing a new process to increase engagement between local leaders, both councils and MPs, with the aim of taking as targeted action as possible. This will allow local councils to focus resources onto the wards which need more targeted intervention in order to drive infection rates down, and gives local people a stronger voice at the table.'
The decision to impose more stringent restrictions in Oldham, Blackburn and Pendle comes after it emerged yesterday that cases in Oldham had reached 103.1 per 100,000 people during the week ending 13 August.
In Blackburn and Pendle case numbers had reached 95.3 and 75.5 cases respectively.
The sharp rise in cases is in part due to a major increase in testing led by local councils.
The Government said local data suggested the increase in cases is being driven by social mixing between 20-39 year-olds.
Ministers also today announced that Birmingham is being designated as an 'Area of Enhanced Support' because coronavirus cases in the city are 'rising quickly'.
The city currently has 30.2 cases per 100,000 and the percentage of people testing positive is up to 4.3 per cent.
The new designation means Birmingham will now be subject to additional testing, more locally led contact tracing and targeted community engagement.
Mr Hancock is due to hold a meeting with local leaders today to discuss 'urgent next steps' which could be required in Birmingham.
Rules prohibiting social gatherings in Lancashire, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and Leicester will now be lifted in Wigan, Rossendale and some parts of Blackburn with Darwen.
Birmingham is not currently on Public Health England's coronavirus watchlist, which last Friday released its list of 29 hot-spots. Officials announced Newark and Sherwood, home to around 120,000 people, was an 'area of concern'. Around 26.3 coronavirus cases were diagnosed for every 100,000 people living in the district in the week ending August 11
Official figures show the city of Birmingham's infection rate has more than doubled over the past fortnight, with around 25 new cases of coronavirus for every 100,000 people — up from just 11 in the first week of August
These areas will align with the rest of England from Wednesday August 26 but the measures will continue to apply elsewhere, with another review scheduled for next week.
The Government's new approach to drawing up local lockdowns will see councils in areas of 'National Intervention' tasked with working together in order to propose a plan for a specified area which is experiencing a surge in cases.
Local leaders will be expected to strike a consensus between councils and local MPs with areas where coronavirus is less prevalent expected to be made exempt from restrictions.
A final decision will then be made by the Joint Biosecurity Centre Gold Meeting which will be chaired by Mr Hancock and the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty.
