Following the Prime Minister’s Sunday night announcement that some lockdown restrictions would be lifted, there was uncertainty over when exactly some workers would be expected to return to work, after conflicting information was given by government sources.

During his announcement, Boris Johnson did not name a specific day when these changes would come into force, although he later said that other changes to restrictions on outdoor activity would begin on Wednesday 13 May. 

A Downing Street press release mentioned Monday as the specific day to begin encouraging workers to return. It was then widely reported in the media that Monday was the day to return to work.

But on Monday morning Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab gave multiple interviews insisting that people return to work from Wednesday if they cannot work from home. 

A Downing Street spokesperson told Full Fact the press release on Sunday said “from tomorrow” in order to “allow people to get prepared for the changes that would be brought into law from Wednesday”. 

This has not been the only source of confusion over the new rules, with many online posts making claims about what they mean for other UK countries. It is true that Boris Johnson’s statement on easing lockdown only applies to England, as the governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are devolved. Much of what was announced on Sunday, like encouraging some people back to work, is true of England, but not of other parts of the UK.

Members of the government have also misspoken when discussing the new measures. Mr Johnson mistakenly said that Covid-19 could be monitored through the water supply, when he meant to say it could potentially be monitored in the wastewater or sewage.

And Mr Raab incorrectly said you can meet with both of your parents at the same time, as long as social distancing is maintained. This contradicts official government guidance, which says that you can only meet with one person outside of your household at a time.