Tough new lockdown restrictions on social gatherings across the whole of England are to be announced as Prime Minister Boris Johnson tries to control a spike in COVID-19 infections.
From Monday, groups of more than six people will be banned from meeting and fined if they fail to comply, Johnson will say.
The number of cases in Britain has begun to rise sharply again in recent days.
Although testing is more widespread and the number of people in hospital is well below the peak of the outbreak, ministers fear it is beginning to slip out of control.
"We need to act now to stop the virus spreading," Mr Johnson will say.
"So we are simplifying and strengthening the rules on social contact - making them easier to understand and for the police to enforce."
The previous limit on the number of people who could socialise together was 30.
There were 2460 new infections reported on Tuesday, 2948 on Monday and 2988 on Sunday - a sharp rise from levels of around 1000 per day in August and attributed to high transmission among young people.
The new rules will not apply to workplaces or schools, and there will be exemptions for weddings, funerals and some organised team sports. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set their own lockdown policies.
Nevertheless, it represent a backwards step in Britain's recovery from a pandemic that inflicted more deaths and more economic damage on the country than it did on European peers and has prompted widespread criticism of Johnson's leadership.
The decision will harm attempts to convince a sceptical public that it is safe to return to their workplaces - something Johnson and his ministers spent much of last week trying to do in a bid to limit the economic damage to town and city centres.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits.
If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080. News and information is available in 63 languages at https://sbs.com.au/coronavirus
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