Six people rule: Can I get a refund if I have to cancel my wedding?
BRITS will be banned from meeting in groups of more than six people from Monday to stop a second wave - but what will happen to weddings?
We explain all you need to know about the rule change and whether you can get a refund if you want to cancel your wedding.
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How are the rules changing?
Brits will be banned from meeting in groups of more than six indoors from Monday, September 14 - and it applies to gatherings in homes and restaurants in England.
Currently, people aren't allowed to gather in groups of more than 30, and they can only meet inside with one other household.
But that will be changed so any of the six can be from different households, in an attempt to bring rules in line with outdoor gatherings.
Those who break the rule of six — inside or outside — can be fined £100, doubling for each repeat offence up to £3,200.
In a press conference today, Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologized about the change but said it's "necessary to stop the spread of the virus and save lives".
The measures will be kept under constant review, but will remain in place as long as necessary in order to prevent a second lockdown, he added.
Gyms, hospitality venues and places of worship can still have more than six people in at any one time, but groups of more than six won't be allowed.
Can weddings still go ahead?
Yes, weddings, funerals and organised team sports in England that are set-up in a Covid-secure way will be exempt from the new rules.
But they must still remain limited to 30 attendees.
For wedding ceremonies, this includes officials and staff, while small receptions of the same size can be held at a Covid-secure venue.
To help prevent the spread of coronavirus, government guidelines says ceremonies should be kept as short as possible and group singing should be avoided as this can spread the virus.
Social distancing of at least one metre between people should also be practised at all times.
The rules around weddings are slightly different in , , and - check out the guidance for the latest information.
Can I get a refund if I cancel the wedding?
If you feel your day will be too different from what you wanted, it is generally better to postpone rather than cancel.
Check alternative dates with your venue, and see if your suppliers can switch too.
Just be aware that you may be charged extra as some days are more popular than others, and you'll typically have to pay any difference in price.
If your postponed date works out cheaper, check with your venue whether you'll be refunded the difference before agreeing to it.
If it isn't possible to postpone and you decide to cancel, keep in mind you may lose any fees already paid.
Your contract will include the terms and conditions and should spell out any cancellation charges, which could affect your refund.
But even if you cancel a wedding that could've gone ahead, watchdog the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) says you shouldn't face "disproportionately high charges" for ending the contract.
Terms and conditions stating no refund is available or that a customer must pay in full if they cancel, without taking into account the business' savings for not having to provide the wedding, or being able to use the date for another wedding, could be unfair and unenforceable, the CMA said.
Any amounts that a business can keep under the contract must also reflect what it's actually losing due to the cancellation, and it has to justify this.
If you’ve got insurance for your wedding or civil partnership registration, it's worth checking the terms and conditions to see what’s covered.
And if your wedding couldn’t go ahead due to lockdown restrictions, you should be given a refund for money already paid.
If you've complained to your wedding provider but don't get anywhere, you can report it to the CMA using .
Just bear in mind the CMA is not an ombudsman, so it won't rule on your individual case.
However, if it receives a number of complaints about the same firms from different people, it may use that as the basis to take action.
Consumers can also make a complaint via the free online tool .
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson banned marriage ceremonies on March 23 in a bid to control the spread of Covid-19, along with christenings.
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Couples were forced to cancel on suppliers and venues, with estimating a whopping 87% of couples who were planning to tie the knot in 2020 have had to postpone their big day.
We explain whether six people can meet at the pub or in restaurants from Monday.