The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

Restriction on gatherings: private dwellings

12.—(1) A person may only participate in a gathering in a private dwelling—

(a) indoors which consists of no more than one household; or

(b) outdoors which consists of no more than six persons and no more than two households.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to a gathering indoors or outdoors which consists of one household and its linked household, provided that such a gathering does not consist of more than 10 persons.

(3) Paragraph (1) does not apply where the gathering is for the purpose of—

(a) the provision of care or assistance, including social services, to a vulnerable person;

(b) childcare provided by a person registered under the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 or childcare provided free of charge or for less than two hours per day;

(c) building or maintenance works or the provision of the services of a trade or profession at the private dwelling;

(d) giving or receiving legal advice or assistance or fulfilling a legal obligation;

(e) moving house or undertaking associated activities including viewing properties and making arrangements for removals;

(f) the provision of emergency or medical assistance to a person;

(g) the removal of the remains of a deceased person to or from the private dwelling.

(4) Paragraph (1) does not apply to an indoor gathering for the purpose of a marriage ceremony or a civil partnership ceremony where a party to the marriage or civil partnership is seriously ill and death in consequence of that illness can reasonably be expected within six months of the date of the ceremony.

(5) In a case referred to in paragraph (4) which takes place in a private dwelling, that gathering may consist of no more than 10 persons including the participants and officiant.

(6) A person attending, or a person responsible for organising or operating, a gathering for the purpose of a funeral or an event associated with a funeral must comply with the guidance on funerals issued by the Department of Health but failure to do so does not constitute an offence under regulation 22.

(7) Paragraph (1) does not apply to a gathering which is a rave or a large house party (see regulation 10).